


The Beast Killer

by Chronophage



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Detective Saihara Shuichi, Gen, Human K1-B0 (Dangan Ronpa), Human Monokubs, Human Monokuma (Dangan Ronpa), Pokemon AU, additional tags and characters to be added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2019-07-14 13:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 288,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16041737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chronophage/pseuds/Chronophage
Summary: After busting a group of Pokemon smugglers, young detective Shuichi Saihara discovers a creature no one's ever seen before. This discovery leads him and his friends into a world of vigilantes dressed as clowns, a research foundation with sinister motives, and a demon from another world that threatens to devour all light. As all eyes focus on the Alola region, Shuichi must face off against looming forces with the Beast Killer by his side.





	1. The Case of the Stolen Vulpix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be keeping a list of prominent characters and their Pokemon at the beginning of each chapter, and will be adding more as the chapters increase. Some of the characters have nicknamed their Pokemon, so the list will also remind you, the reader, which Pokemon has a nickname.
> 
> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 1: The Case of the Stolen Vulpix

“Stop! You are under arrest!” Shuichi commanded.

The figure didn’t heed his words and started sprinting down the narrow alleyway. Shuichi followed, dodging the random objects the suspect was throwing in his path, like garbage cans. The suspect had a head-start, and Shuichi could tell that he wasn’t going to catch him by himself. Midstride, the young detective unclipped a Pokéball from his belt and threw it as far as he could to cover as much ground as possible.

“Lumine, catch up to him and use Sand Attack!”

The young Rockruff emerged from the Pokéball at a run, his eyes focused on the fleeing figure. He caught up in mere seconds and leapt onto the wall of the alley, bouncing off the suspect’s head and ending up level with his face. The suspect, thrown off balance by the small dog Pokémon’s weight, stumbled and looked up just as Lumine swept his tail and threw sand in his eyes. The suspect howled in pain and collapsed to the pavement, clutching his face.

“Good job, Lumine,” Shuichi praised once he reached the suspect. He reached out and lightly tapped the man on the shoulder.

“Time.”

“That was well thought out,” another man stepped into the alleyway, a stopwatch held in one hand.

“Thank you, Uncle Jiro,” Shuichi mumbled, blushing lightly at the praise and pulling his hat down over his face.

“Could someone please help me!?” the man on the ground moaned.

“Oh, calm down, Jun.” Uncle Jiro pulled out a water bottle and knelt beside him. “It’s just sand.”

“Well it hurts! You get to be the suspect during the next training exercise!”

Jiro chuckled and helped Jun wash his eyes out. The latter looked up at Shuichi and commended his quick thinking, despite his eyes looking painfully red. Lumine barked happily and bounded into Shuichi’s arms for a successful completion of their training.

“Okay,” Jiro helped Jun to his feet, “let’s get back to the office.”

“Yeah, I need to lie down.”

Shuichi chuckled nervously at having incapacitated one of his uncle’s best detectives for, probably, the rest of the day. He picked up Lumine and joined the two men in navigating the alleyway, picking up everything that had been knocked over during the training exercise. They often used this alley for training in apprehending a suspect since it was very narrow and close to the agency. This was the third time Shuichi had trained there, and each time, new obstacles and handicaps were added, but he’d been allowed his Pokémon. First, he had been allowed both of his Pokémon, then restricted to one, so then, he figured, the next step would be using no Pokémon. It seemed ludicrous to think he wouldn’t have any helpers while out in the field, but the thought process was that maybe his Pokémon would subdue one suspect, and he might have to chase the other. Or, his Pokémon were disabled in some way, and the arrest would fall solely on him.

Scout, Shuichi’s Eevee and his first ever Pokémon, was waiting for them on the stone steps of the detective agency. He immediately began yipping and wagging his tail at the approach of his trainer. Shuichi shifted Lumine to one arm just in time to catch Scout after he took a flying leap off the stairs. That was a behavior the detective-in-training was trying to discourage, but it also made him happy to know that Scout trusted him to always catch him.

“Whoa!” the receptionist in the waiting room giggled at the sight of poor Jun. “What happened this time?”

“Sand Attack,” Jun groaned and pushed through the door separating the waiting room from the main floor cubicles. He stumbled to the break room and surrendered himself to the couch.

“Wait! Shuichi,” the receptionist stopped him from following his uncle through the door, “you have clients.”

“I… I do?” Shuichi responded in confusion. “But I thought my schedule was clear for training?”

“It was… but…” she gestured to two young men who he just noticed were in the waiting room with him. 

One had spiky brown with a single lock of hair sticking up and bending at an angle. He had somewhat of a cross look on his face, but given how he was comforting the man beside him, Shuichi assumed the facial expression was his resting pose. The other man had wispy white hair and looked absolutely distraught. He was clutching a Vulpix to his chest and was petting its fluffy curls to calm himself.

“Um, gentlemen?” Shuichi set his two Pokémon down and approached them. “Would you like to follow me to the back?”

Both stood up and followed close behind him as he entered the main floor. Dodging desks and separating walls, Shuichi made his way over to a small quiet corner where his workspace had been established. As a detective-in-training, he wasn’t often given clients through the agency whose cases hadn’t first been approved by his uncle. Sometimes, he took cases concerning friends or former classmates, but those were pro-bono and were more like favors. He settled in his chair, Lumine and Scout sitting dutifully at his feet, and faced his new clients.

“I’m Shuichi Saihara, detective-in-training. How may I help you?”

“My name is Nagito Komaeda,” said the white-haired man. “Please, I need you to find my Joy.”

“Joy?”

Nagito pulled out his phone and showed a picture to Shuichi. On the screen was an image of the Vulpix in Nagito’s arms, but there was another Pokémon in the photo. It looked like a Vulpix, but it was snow white with large, crystal-blue eyes.

“No way,” Shuichi gasped, “an Alolan Vulpix?”

Alolan Pokémon were uncommon on the mainland. A couple of his friends had Alolan Pokémon, but there were varying explanations of why. Rantaro had a Dartrix, but he often traveled to Alola on his family’s boat, so it was no surprise that he had caught the Pokémon as a Rowlet or had been gifted it. Angie had a Cutiefly, but she had moved from Alola to the mainland, so it made sense she brought her Alolan Pokémon with her. She had also brought a Drampa with her, but had gifted it to Gonta, who had been her pen pal for years before she moved. Gonta also had a Wimpod from a breeder friend of Angie’s from Alola who was having some difficulty training that particular one. Instead of forcing the poor Pokémon through training, the breeder decided to send it to Gonta on Angie’s suggestion, as Gonta was more likely to simply raise the Wimpod as a companion. Himiko had a Litten, but no one knew where she obtained it. The going theory was that Angie got it for her, since they were close friends, but Angie never admitted to it. 

As for Shuichi and Lumine, the Rockruff was a gift from his aunt and uncle, same as Scout. Scout was the offspring of his uncle’s Umbreon and his aunt’s Espeon. He remembered being given the egg on his tenth birthday and how he meticulously researched and tended to the egg until it hatched into his cheerful, little Eevee. Lumine, however, was delivered as a young Rockruff, already a few months old. He was, allegedly, the offspring of a Midnight Lycanroc belonging to one of the most renowned detectives of the International Police: Kyoko Kirigiri. Shuichi wasn’t exactly sure if that was true. Detective Kirigiri was one of his heroes and role models, so the idea that Lumine was the child of her own beloved Pokémon partner seemed too good to be true.

“She’s beautiful,” Shuichi complimented, handing the phone back. “She disappeared?”

“No,” said the spiky-haired man, his cross expression turning to one of anger, “some low-like bastard snatched her while was Nagito was out at the promenade shops earlier today.”

“Were you with him, Mister…?” 

“Hajime Hinata, and no I wasn’t, although now I wish I was.”

Shuichi pulled a pencil and spiral notepad from one of his desk drawers. “Okay, walk me through the encounter.”

“One of our oldest friend's birthday is next month and I was at the Stone and Gem Emporium looking for an evolutionary stone for one of his Pokémon,” Nagito began. 

“The store is on a corner, and it’s designed to be sort of open-air. There are two shutters that lift up and down and a support pillar that form the portion of the store that customers are allowed in to browse. All of the items are in cases made of thick glass that you either need a blunt object or a strong Pokémon to break, and they don’t allow any suspicious objects or large Pokémon into the shop to begin with. They also have a Sableye who sniffs at people’s bags and pockets to make sure nothing has been stolen. I was at a side counter separate from the register, placing my order for the stone. Hope and Joy were at my feet.”

“Is Hope this Vulpix?” Shuichi gestured to the Fire-type Vulpix in Nagito’s lap.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “I was filling out the paperwork for my order when suddenly I was pushed into the counter. I heard Hope and Joy both squeal, but the wind was knocked out of me and I couldn’t move very fast. A man had grabbed Joy and was shoving customers out his way to escape the shop. Hope had managed to grab his pant leg at the ankle in her teeth, but she couldn’t hold on. The shop’s Sableye had leapt onto the man’s shoulder and scratched his face, but he grabbed it by the leg and flung it into one of the glass cases. After that, he ran into one of the small delivery alleys along the backside of the stores. We lost him there.”

“Were you still in the shop when he ran out or did you chase him?”

“I was still winded when he escaped the shop, but I saw where he went because the owner showed me the security footage. They have a couple cameras in the shop, a few outside the storefront, and a few at their back-alley delivery port. I’ve already alerted the owner that I intend to hire an investigator, so they have the video tapes prepared for you.”

“May I ask you something?” Shuichi asked, continuing with his question once Nagito nodded. “What made you choose me? I’m not even fully trained yet. There are many other detectives in this agency who are more qualified.”

“Maybe in experience,” said Hajime, “but we chose you because we’ve heard about your dedication in finding lost Pokémon. There was a story about you swimming up rivers and climbing mountains to find a lost Totodile?”

“Oh,” Shuichi pulled his cap over his eyes, “yes, I suppose that does show dedication.”

“Finding someone’s lost Pokémon isn’t just a job to you,” said Nagito. “It’s a promise that you put all of your effort into fulfilling. That’s why I don’t want just any detective finding Joy, I want _you_.”

Their words swam in Shuichi’s head as he stared blankly at the notes on his notepad. They had heard stories about the lengths he was willing to go to in order to find someone’s lost Pokémon and had specifically sought him out because of it.

“Very well,” he spoke up, “I will take your case.”

“Thank you!” Nagito whimpered. “I just know you’ll be able to find her!”

While his companion ( _Boyfriend?_ Shuichi wondered) waxed endlessly about his thanks and praising Shuichi’s kindness, Hajime set a thick envelope on the desktop and slid it towards Shuichi. Curious, the young detective picked up the envelope and opened it, gasping and nearly having a heart attack at its contents.

“There’s so much money in here!” he squeaked. “You haven’t even asked about my rates!”

“Money is no object for us,” said Hajime.

“And Joy’s value is worth every cent and more,” Nagito piped up.

“This is the first half,” Hajime explained, "you’ll get the second half when you find her.”

 _Half!? This is_ half _of what they intend to pay me!?_

Shuichi cleared his throat and took a few breaths to calm himself. “Well, I assure you, Joy’s abduction will take top priority.”

“Here’s what we already have,” Nagito placed a folder on Shuichi’s desk and spun it to face the young detective. 

The first item that drew Shuichi’s gaze was an image of the culprit, obviously a still from the security footage due to the downward angle at which it as shot. The man looked somewhat young in the face. He wore a bottle-green zip-up hoodie, faded blue jeans, and a white baseball cap. 

“You said the Sableye scratched his face. Where?”

“Right cheek, and it must have gotten him pretty deep because there was blood on its claws and small flecks on the pavement in the back alley.”

Shuichi quickly turned to a fresh page in his notepad and scribbled a note about the wound, ripping the page out and paper-clipping it to the photo.

“Have you ever seen this man before?” he asked.

“No,” Nagito shook his head, “never. I don’t even remember if he was following me around the promenade shops this morning.”

“So, there’s a chance this was random. The guy saw an opening and took it.”

“The shop owner already has the security footage arranged for you,” Nagito reminded him. “You just need to go to the shop and explain that you’re the investigator looking into the Alolan Vulpix theft for Nagito Komaeda.”

“Thanks.” Shuichi lifted the photo and set it aside to see what looked like a birds-eye view of a map of some streets. He could see the promenade shops in the lower left corner of the map. 

“What is this?” he asked.

“Hope and Joy have collars with GPS microchips embedded in the pendant,” Hajime explained. Nagito lifted Hope’s chin so that Shuichi could get a good look at the collar around her neck.

“We don’t know if he removed the collar or if it malfunctioned, but that,” Hajime pointed to a red circle on the map, “was the last place where Joy’s location was tracked.”

_This is good. I can start at the shop and then head to that location._

“Do you have something of Joy’s that could be used to track her scent?” Shuichi asked.

Nagito immediately reached into a bag and pulled out a small bundle. He unwrapped it to reveal a small brush with a few white hairs attached to the bristles.

“I use separate brushes for Hope and Joy," he explained while handing the brush over to Shuichi.

“All of this is very useful. Don’t worry, Mister Komaeda,” Shuichi assured, “I’ll find Joy and see to it she’s returned to you.”

“Great,” Nagito smiled warmly. “We’ll let you get to it then.” 

The two men stood up from the desk, shook hands with Shuichi, then gathered their things and left. Shuichi exhaled heavily and slumped in his chair. Scout and Lumine peeked up at him, clearly worried by his body language.

“It’s okay,” he comforted them, “this is just… a little overwhelming. They were willing to offer that much money, which means Joy must mean a lot to Mister Komaeda. I just feel… kind of pressured.”

Realizing there was no time like the present, Shuichi stood up from his chair and made his way to his uncle’s office. As the head and owner of the agency, Jiro Saihara had a private office that was up small flight of stairs that overlooked the rest of the main floor. Shuichi knocked on the door to alert his uncle to his presence and then walked in.

“Uncle Jiro, could I borrow Blazer?”

Jiro looked up from a file on his desk, a curious look on his face. “Why do you need Blazer? You don’t have any assignments.”

“Well,” Shuichi sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, “I sort of… do.”

“Someone asked for your assistance? Did they register with the agency?”

“I don’t know, they were in the waiting room when we returned from training. Apparently, they had heard about my past cases in finding lost and stolen Pokémon, and that’s what they asked my assistance for.” 

He could see Jiro visibly relax upon hearing this mystery case was just another missing Pokémon incident. Jiro was always protective of Shuichi, and it was obvious the idea that his nephew could be harmed in a case he hadn’t approved for Shuichi’s skill level had made him worried. 

“What’s the case?”

“An Alolan Vulpix was stolen while the owner was out at the promenade shops. Whoever the thief is, they specifically targeted the Alolan Vulpix because the theft took place in a gem store and the owner also had a fire-type Vulpix with them.”

Jiro immediately tensed up again. “Shuichi, you need to be very careful. Alolan Pokémon are a rarity on the mainland. This thief most likely intends to sell it or keep it for breeding to sell the offspring. People would pay top dollar for an Alolan Pokémon, especially a Vulpix.”

“So, you won’t let me take the case?”

Jiro sighed, and rubbed his face with his hands. After a few silent moments of thought, he spoke again. “I will let you take the case but _be careful._ If, at any time, you think you’re in over your head, you call me, okay?”

“Okay,” Shuichi agreed.

“Blazer’s out back, and take Fang with you too.”

“Right.”

And that was how Shuichi ended up standing on the back lawn of the agency, surrounded by various Pokémon belonging to the detectives. Most were used in the investigations, but some were just pets that the agents brought with them every day and allowed them to hang out and relax in the private lawn area. Shuichi removed his messenger bag from his shoulder and checked he had the case’s file and all its contents one last time before embarking on his assignment.

“Blazer! Fang!” he called. A Stoutland and a Mightyena both raised their heads and happily trotted over to him. “We have a case and I need your noses for scent tracking.”

Honestly, he only needed Blazer the Stoutland for scent tracking, but he knew that his uncle demanded he take Fang the Mightyena due to the latter’s more defensive nature. If anyone threatened Shuichi, Blazer was more likely to stand between him and the suspect, but Fang would leap at them, snarling and gnashing, without a second thought.

He didn’t have their Pokéballs, so they would have to walk beside him to their destination. Shuichi realized maybe the image of him walking with two police-trained Pokémon would cause whoever was involved in the case to take him more seriously as a detective, and he couldn’t help but preen a little at the idea of people on the sidewalk seeing him and respectfully stepping out of the way… instead of walking directly in his path as they were prone to do since he just, sort of, blended into the scenery. To complete the image, he tried to return Scout and Lumine to their Pokéballs, as seeing the two small, cuter Pokémon would break his façade, but Scout refused to go. In the end, he was forced to give up and allow the Eevee to ride on his shoulder. Both Blazer and Fang instinctively walked on either side of him. They had known him since he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle at age seven and were just as protective as his uncle was. He humorously recalled a memory of a sunny Saturday picnic at the park. He had tripped over an exposed tree root and the two dog-like Pokémon were upon the root in an instant, growling and ripping it out of the ground.

The promenade shops weren’t very far, and given he had two imposing Pokémon flanking him, people gave him a wide berth that opened up the sidewalk. It was a warm, sunny day and the shops were full of people and Pokémon. He spotted the sign for the emporium from a distance and started making his way over, admiring the sights around him. There was small outdoor eating area with a fountain. Two small, giggling children were at the fountain’s edge, playfully splashing a Buizel swimming around in the water. A young woman was sharing an ice cream sundae with her Smoochum, trying to cool the Ice-type off in the heat of the day. Two teenage boys were sitting on a bench and talking animatedly about some random subject, all the while throwing a ball for their Magby and Bulbasaur to retrieve.

Shuichi stepped into the emporium and gave a quick glance around. The main room was square-shaped, diagonally cut in half by long glass cases and a firm counter top that was also the register. The open portion of the room where the customers could mingle was dotted with tall, skinny display cases of various stones and gems, like an art gallery. He looked over to one display case on the far side that caught his eye due to the large cracks. He approached the case and saw whatever had been inside had been removed.

_Mister Komaeda said the Sableye was thrown into a case. This must be the one. So the thief took this path, which allowed him easy and quick access to the back alley, since the opening to it is right outside this entrance._

“May I help you?” a voice spooked him from his musing. An older woman, gray hair pulled back into a bun and sharp eyes behind a pair of glasses scrutinizing his presence, was standing behind him.

“Uh-um, yes, you may,” he stuttered.

“Looking for a stone for your Eevee perhaps?” her gaze shifted slightly upward to observe Scout.

“No, actually I’m here on Nagito Komaeda’s behalf. I’m investigating the theft of his Vulpix.” 

The woman’s eyes softened upon hearing his explanation. “My apologies, it’s just that man was wearing a cap to try and hide his face, so when I saw you walk in so soon after it happened…”

“It’s okay. I’m Shuichi Saihara,” he extended a hand.

“You wouldn’t happen to be related to Detective Saihara?” she asked, shaking his hand.

“Yes, he’s my uncle.”

“Splendid! I’m the owner of this store. Mister Komaeda said he’d be sending someone to investigate. If you’d like to follow me to the back, I can show you the tapes we’ve compiled.”

“May my Pokémon come with me?” he gestured to Blazer and Fang, who were patiently sitting just outside of the shop.

“Of course.”

While the front of the store was neatly and meticulously organized, the back portion was a little more chaotic. There were shelves all along the walls that were filled with boxes, and long tables that had various tools strewn about them. A couple workers were sitting at these tables, scrutinizing evolutionary stones and valuable gems with jeweler’s glasses and small tools to test the hardness of the stones’ surfaces. Further down was another table where other workers were polishing stones and packing them away into singular velvet boxes— no doubt stones that had been purchased and were awaiting pick up.

“Be careful in here, Scout,” Shuichi warned. If Scout took a tumble onto the worktop, he could come into contact with some of the stones or rocks and involuntarily evolve.

Something heavy suddenly landed on Shuichi’s head. He shouted and stumbled forward, hearing Scout yip and Blazer and Fang snarl at whatever it was.

“Ruby!” the owner scolded. “Get off him!”

The weight suddenly vanished, and Shuichi found himself staring at a Sableye who was leering at him from one of the long tables. It was showing its sharp, jagged teeth and waggling its claws at him.

“I’m sorry,” the owner apologized, “she’s a little on edge after the incident this morning.”

“From what I understand, Mister Komaeda said she scratched the suspect and was thrown into a glass case?” said Shuichi.

“Yes, she’s okay though. She was my partner during my traveling days and she’s as tough as any of the stones in this shop.”

“Did you, perhaps, collect any of the blood from her claws?”

The owner smiled at him. “Way ahead of you.”

She disappeared into a side office and reemerged with a vial with a small amount of blood in it. Shuichi took off his bag, pulled out small capsule like what undeveloped film was kept in, and placed the vial inside.

“Ruby was such a brave girl attacking that kidnapper,” the owner praised her Sableye. “I feel so sorry for Mister Komaeda. I couldn’t imagine how I would feel if Ruby went missing. He was so kind and both of his Vulpix were so darling. None of my workers had ever seen an Alolan Vulpix in real life and he let all of them pet her.”

“Mister Komaeda said he was ordering an evolutionary stone.”

“Yes, a Dusk Stone. We are currently out of stock, so he was filling out the paperwork and paying a deposit for reserving one when we get our next shipment.”

“Were you servicing him?”

“Yes, I was.” She gestured for him to follow her into the side office. 

There was a desk with tall filing cabinets one would expect to see in any office, but the bookshelves and walls were lined and covered in personalized trinkets and photos. The owner sat at her desk and opened a laptop. Shuichi pulled a chair to the side of the desk and sat down, waiting for her to load to video file.

“One of my assistants is into all this high-tech mumbo-jumbo,” the owner explained. “He pulled the clips from each camera and arranged them into a continuous shot of the incident.”

She turned the laptop toward him and pressed play on the video file. The first camera view was the front room. Shuichi could see there were many people milling about, admiring the stones and gems. He spotted Nagito as the man stepped into the shop, Hope and Joy happily trotting beside him. Ruby the Sableye was crouching calmly on top of one of the tall cases, watching the patrons. Nagito looked into the glass cases for a few minutes before approaching the front counter and getting the shop assistant’s attention. The video suddenly cut to a few minutes later when the suspect entered the shop.

“Those cut minutes were mostly my workers petting the Vulpix,” the owner explained.

The suspect was clearly eyeing Nagito and the Vulpix but was trying to appear nonchalant. He hovered over some of the stand-alone cases, pretending to look at the stones while giving Nagito sidelong glances. Nagito moved to the side counter with the owner and leaned over to start filling out the paperwork. Hope was standing on her hind legs with her front feet against the counter, while Joy was sitting calmly facing the other customers in the shop. The suspect saw his chance and started making his way toward Nagito. It happened in an instant. Nagito was shoved forward, the edge of the countertop hitting him in the diaphragm and knocking the wind out of him. The suspect stooped and grabbed Joy, using one hand to clamp her mouth shut and prevent her from attacking him with a breath attack. Hope spun around, latched herself to his ankle, and then found herself dragged as he tried to run. She was knocked off just as Ruby took a flying leap and scored the suspect across the right cheek, just as Nagito said.

The suspect let go of Joy’s mouth just long enough to grab Ruby by the leg and fling her into the case that now had the cracks in its glass. Nagito had collapsed to the floor by this point and was feebly attempting to get to his feet. Ruby fell to the ground and laid there, unmoving. The suspect ran out one of the entrances, dodging the grasping hands of the other customers attempting to stop him, where the camera feed shifted to one of the outside cameras. He immediately took a right turn down the back alley. The camera feed changed again to the delivery port where the suspect paused. It looked like Joy had managed to sink her teeth into one of his fingers. He ripped his hand out of her mouth and smacked her in the side of the head before running off camera.

“Could you please email this video file to me?” Shuichi asked, quickly writing down his email address.

“Certainly,” said the owner, doing just that. “All done. Now, please come with me and I’ll show you the delivery port.”

Someone had cordoned off the small spots of blood on the asphalt using some duct tape. Blazer and Fang immediately approached and started sniffing the blood. The delivery port had a good-sized lot for the trucks to easily come in and turn around. There was a stone wall running along the back, including a wall that separated the emporium’s delivery port from the neighboring store’s. 

“Due to the high value of our products, we arranged for our delivery port to be sectioned off from other stores,” the owner clarified. “That way, no one could claim they were working for a different store if they were caught back here, and we’re familiar with all our workers and delivery drivers, so they couldn’t claim they worked for me either.”

“He would’ve had to have climbed the wall,” Shuichi concluded. “But the question is, how did he do it while holding Joy?”

“Unfortunately, our camera has a blind spot.” She led him over to the far corner where the perimeter wall met the dividing one. “He disappeared off camera, so he had to have come right here.”

Shuichi studied the stone wall, stepping up close to look for any signs of scuff marks, possibly from the suspect’s shoes. The wall was just a bit taller than he was, but the top was flat with a little bit of overhang. The suspect, if he was taller than Shuichi, could have simply jumped and grabbed the overhang on the other side to haul himself up, but, again, the question was how he managed to do that while holding Joy.

“I need to return to the shop,” said the owner. “Do you have everything you need?”

“For now,” he replied, “I’ll let you know if I need anything else.”

Scout jumped off Shuichi’s shoulder and walked around on the top of the wall. Blazer and Fang had finished sniffing around the rest of the delivery port and trotted back to his side. 

_He couldn’t have climbed the wall while holding Joy. She was struggling too much, even after he hit her._ The only logical explanation was he had an accomplice who stood on the other side of the wall to receive Joy. _Maybe this wasn’t random. If there was more than one thief, they needed to coordinate._

With nothing else to investigate in the delivery port, Shuichi was forced to move on to the next piece of evidence. Bidding the owner farewell and thanks, he pulled out the folder and the print-out of Joy’s GPS collar location. It was only a few blocks away, but he didn’t want to waste time. He set out at a jog, constantly glancing at the paper and navigating the streets until it brought him to a street corner in front of a small convenience store. The marker was in a small side alley of the store.

“Be on your guard,” he warned Blazer and Fang.

No one was in the alley, which was both relieving and irritating. Relieving because he wouldn’t have to face anyone down, but irritating because it was likely Joy was not here. The latter was proven right when Fang dipped his head behind a dumpster and reemerged with the collar.

“So he pulled her collar off. Did he know there was a tracker, or did he not want it to be apparent she had an owner?” Shuichi thought out loud. Maybe the thief did intend to sell Joy, and so he removed the collar to hide ownership? “Alright, let’s get to work.”

Shuichi reached into his bag and pulled out Joy’s brush, still wrapped in the cloth that Nagito had left it in. He unwrapped the item and let Blazer and Fang sniff it. Once they had the scent, both dog-like Pokémon immediately set out down the sidewalk, leaving Shuichi and Scout to follow. The invisible path was a fairly straight-shot, with only a few deviations.

 _He knew where he was going,_ Shuichi noted.

In the light of an orange sun just beginning to set, Shuichi and his companions found themselves facing an old warehouse. Both Blazer and Fang stopped, but snorted and nodded their heads, indicating the smell went into the warehouse. Shuichi immediately felt on-edge; there were several possibilities of what he was about to walk into.

 _“If, at any time, you think you’re in over your head, you call me, okay?”_ His uncle’s words echoed in his head. Shuichi pulled out his phone and pre-dialed his uncle’s number but did not hit OK just yet. He pocketed his phone and signaled his Pokémon to move slowly. Together, they crept through the abandoned parking lot and up to the side of the building. A quick peek through a cracked, grimy window did not reveal much. He saw a delivery truck inside, but couldn’t tell if it had been recently used or had been abandoned with the property. The rest of the open-space storage floor was empty except for a few crates and boards strewn carelessly across the floor. Shuichi nearly stood up when he suddenly heard voices and dropped completely to the ground.

“Little fucker better’ve had its shots,” someone complained.

“Told ya you should’ve worn gloves,” said a different voice.

“I didn’t think a fucking Vulpix would be so difficult!”

Shuichi risked another peek through the window. The dimness of the warehouse was cut through with what looked like headlamps. Two men were struggling with a large cage that held a Mudbray. They both stepped into the back of truck, but Shuichi could not see inside from where he was.

_Okay, they must have come from a back room._

He released Lumine from his Pokeball and silently signaled all four Pokémon to follow. They crept low to the ground until they reached a rusty metal door that was padlocked shut. The rust had eaten away at the lower portion of the door, leaving a hole Lumine and Scout were able to squeeze through to seek out another possible entrance inside. Shuichi couldn’t help but mildly panic at the thought of his two precious Pokémon getting caught and stuffed into cages. Blazer and Fang were growling lowly, their muscles tensed and ready to pounce at any moment. Shuichi nearly had a heart attack when he heard a clinking sound.

Scout yipped softly from somewhere near the back of the building. Shuichi scrambled to the back wall to see that Scout had unlocked a window from the inside. The junior detective lifted the window and jumped inside. Blazer was too big to fit through with all his fluffy fur, so Shuichi sent him back to guard the door, but Fang was able to follow him inside. Shuichi jumped when he was suddenly surrounded by keening cries. He gaped at the sight of different Alolan Pokémon cramped into cages. All of them were putting their paws, hands, and wings up against the bars and were calling out to him.

“What the hell!?” At the sound of one of the men’s voices, Shuichi ducked under an old desk, joined by Fang, Scout, and Lumine. Thankfully, the leg-space under the desk was big enough for all of them to squeeze into and shielded them from the thieves’ direct sight.

“Shut up!” one of the men barked, hitting one of the cages and creating a loud clanging noise. 

Fang growled softly, lifting his lip to expose his sharp teeth. Shuichi gently tapped his muzzle and listened carefully to the man in the room he couldn’t see. Based on the sounds, the man had picked up a cage by himself and left the room, the faint sounds of both voices speaking in the storage floor indicating they were both at the front of the building. Shuichi slipped his bag off his shoulder and cautiously left his hiding place, holding up a finger to his lips to signal the trapped Pokémon to be quiet. When they all recognized the signal and obeyed, Shuichi drew the conclusion all these Pokémon had human owners. They all eagerly pressed themselves against the bars of their cages. Those who had small enough appendages even reached through the bars to grasp toward him.

 _This is bad. This is organized trafficking._ Shuichi reached into his pocket for his phone but stopped when he spotted a snow-white pelt in the duskiness of the back room.

“Joy?” he called softly. The Vulpix’s head shot up and she turned to face him, putting her paws on the mesh and whimpering. Shuichi forgot about his phone for a split second and reached for her cage.

“Hey!” Shuichi spun around and found himself facing the thief, recognizing him from the security footage. The thief moved in an instant and seized Shuichi’s wrist. Everything suddenly turned into a blur of black-and-white when Fang leapt out from under the desk and launched himself onto the thief.

All sense was lost in the cacophony of Pokémon cries, the thief’s screaming, and Fang bellowing. Shuichi fell back onto the floor as he watched the man flail about while the ruthless Mightyena sank his unforgiving teeth into his arm and shoulder. During the thief’s flailing, several cages were knocked to the floor and on top of Shuichi, blocking his view.

“Get off him!” shouted the other man, having sprinted into the back room after hearing the noise. He started punching Fang in the jaw and tried physically pulling the Mightyena to get him to let go. Somewhere in the chaos, Shuichi’s ankle was cruelly stepped on and popped loudly. Both men finally threw Fang off, his large body knocking further cages off the desk he landed on.

“Grab as many cages as you can!” the accomplice ordered.

“What about the kid!?” the thief gestured to Shuichi, who was lying prone on the floor.

“Forget him, we need to get out of here now!”

"But the Beast Ki—,"

"We'll send a team back for it! Let's go!"

Shuichi spotted Joy’s cage lying on the floor and could only watch in despair as she was snatched up by one of the men. Both ran from the back room with their load, barely dodging Blazer when the Stoutland managed to barrel through the rusty door, completely knocking it off its hinges. Shuichi struggled to his feet and limped out to the storage floor. The engine of the delivery truck roared to life and the wheels began pealing on the concrete floor. Lumine and Scout rushed out from the back room, Scout sending out a desperate Swift to puncture the tires. Shuichi snagged his phone from his pocket and managed to snap a picture of the truck’s license plate before it gained traction and crashed through one of the shut delivery doors and sped away.

“No,” Shuichi whimpered, struggling to follow the truck on his injured ankle. Despite narrowly escaping a dangerous criminal who had every intention of harming him, he couldn’t stop. Of course he was scared, but the look of desperation in Joy’s eyes as she was plucked from his reach drove him to keep trying. He took a hopeless step forward and nearly collapsed when Blazer suddenly rushed to his side and barked. 

“Are you sure?”

He hadn’t ridden on Blazer’s back since he was twelve, though the Stoutland was certainly sturdy enough. He jumped on and gripped the fur at Blazer’s nape. Blazer bellowed loudly and galloped after the truck. Scout and Lumine wisely stayed behind instead of trying to follow. The setting sun glared in Shuichi’s eyes, but he quickly made a mental note of their direction.

_We’re heading west. I need to keep track of which ways they turn._

But the second he had that thought, something extraordinary happened. All four tires on the truck suddenly blew at the same time, causing the vehicle to jolt about a foot off the road. The driver slammed on the brakes, the track swerving dangerously before it hit a light pole and came to a stop. Blazer slid to a halt and Shuichi gaped in amazement as several individuals wearing white outfits and clown masks suddenly appeared from nowhere. The thief and his accomplice stumbled out of the cab and attempted to run for it, but were assaulted by an Arbok and a Seviper, the two snake Pokémon coiling around them tightly. One of the white-clothed individuals went to the back of the truck with a Serperior by his side.

“Use Cut!” he ordered. The Serperior sliced through the lock with its tail and the individual quickly raised the door.

“Hey!” Shuichi called out, Blazer starting to trot over to the truck.

“Stop!” the figure with the Serperior commanded. “Don’t take a step closer!”

Shuichi narrowed his eyes at the white figures. “Don’t you dare steal those Pokémon! They already have families they belong to!”

“No duh, why else do you think we stopped the truck?” Another figure he hadn’t seen at first stood in the entrance of a different alley. This one was shorter than the others and wore a black hat and cape. “He told you to stop because your Stoutland’s about to step on some Toxic Spikes.”

Shuichi looked down on the road and realized there were dark purple thorns strewn across the road. _That’s how the tires all popped!_

“Nice to see you’re at least half-perceptive, Mister Detective,” the short figure taunted. “Well, what do you know, that almost rhymed. Perceptive-detective.”

“Wha—?” Shuichi choked. “How do you know I’m a detective?”

“I had my suspicions, but you just confirmed it for me,” the figure teased. “We’ve been watching the warehouse and got to witness your breaking-and-entering skills. Not your strong point. Want to join? We could train you to be the best thief!”

“Join what?”

“DICE, of course!” the figure gestured to the others in white. “And I am the Phantom Thief, the cruel and merciless leader of this organization of evil!”

“Organization of evil?” Shuichi whispered, pulling on Blazer’s fur to get him to back away.

“But that was just a lie.”

“What!?” Shuichi squeaked.

“There’s no way I’d let a detective join DICE, unless…” the short figure tilted his head, “you desire chaos and anarchy to reign supreme? In that case, let me get you an application.”

Shuichi pulled his phone out and held it up. “I’m calling for back-up. These Pokémon were all stolen from their families and I _will_ return them!”

None of the figures spoke, with a few of them even trading glances with each other. Shuichi began to feel his mettle fail him. There were ten people here, all armed with Pokémon. There was no way he could defend himself against all of them.

“What’s your name?” the caped one asked.

“Tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.”

“Rude!” the figure wagged a finger at him. “I already told you mine! I’m the Phantom Thief!”

“Your _real_ name,” Shuichi specified.

“What?” the figure choked and sniffled. “You don’t believe me? I’ll have you know that my parents gave me that name at my glorious birth! They knew the great things I would accomplish and you’re… being… so…” he exploded into loud, over-the-top sobs, “MEEEEAAAN!”

“Um,” Shuichi wilted during the odd display.

“But that was a lie.” Suddenly all the sobbing stopped, and the figure straightened up. “Call for back-up, you’re gonna need all the help you can get to get these Pokémon out of here. We’ll leave you to it.” He stepped completely out of the alleyway to join his accomplices near the truck, and Shuichi gasped at the sight of a shiny Roselia following the caped figure closely.

_I guess that’s how they laid the Toxic Spikes down._

The figures and their Pokémon all grouped together in the center of the road, facing Shuichi and Blazer. He gave each one a once-over, trying to memorize any identifying marks. Two Golbat suddenly flew toward him, but then swooped to the side of the street and blew strong gusts of wind with their wings. The Toxic Spikes tumbled to one side of the street, allowing him and Blazer safe passage.

“Who are you people?” he asked as he approached.

“Ah-ah-ah,” the Phantom Thief wagged a finger at him again. “That’s top-secret information!”

“But Boss,” one of the others spoke up, “you already told him our group name.”

“Whoopsie!” the Phantom Thief giggled. “Anyway, you want us to rough up these low-lives a little more? You won’t get blamed for police brutality.”

At some point, the two men had been released from the Arbok and Seviper and were tied up with rope. Both were face-down on the pavement, blood seeping from the thief’s shoulder and arm from Fang's attack. 

“Um, no,” said Shuichi. “I’d kind of just like today to be over.”

“Fine,” the Phantom Thief shrugged indifferently. “Alright DICE, our job is done! Let’s go!” He childishly twirled his cape and started running down the street, the Roselia close on his heels. The rest of the figures and their Pokémon followed, and Shuichi watched the strange group until they turned down an alley and vanished.

 _That was… interesting. At least they weren’t hostile._ He glanced down at his phone in his hand and exhaled a long breath. Shaky after the adrenaline rush, he managed to hit the Send button and call his uncle.

“Shuichi!” Uncle Jiro sounded panicked. “Where are you!? It’s almost seven and I haven’t heard anything from you!”

_It’s seven at night? Wow, I’ve been out and about a lot longer than I thought._

“I’m sorry Uncle Jiro. I found the Vulpix, and a lot of other stolen Pokémon. I’m near the intersection of Chestnut and Ocean View. I’m gonna need…” he glanced at the truck and remembered the Pokémon still at the warehouse, “everyone. I’m gonna need everyone’s help.”

He ended the call after a short conversation and directed Blazer to walk to the truck. Several of the cages had fallen when the truck spun out, and some of the Pokémon had already climbed out of their prisons but were too scared to completely escape. Shuichi slid off Blazer’s back and stepped into the back of the truck. The Pokémon began keening and crying at him, with some even crawling toward him and attempting to climb into his arms.

“It’s okay,” he assured them, “you’re all safe now. Help is coming and you’re all going home.” He picked up the empty cages that were in his way and tossed them out of the truck. He limped down the short aisle formed from the stacks of other cages and began opening wire doors. Pokémon leapt out and swarmed his feet as he freed them. A Komala missing its log clung to his leg; a Pikipek landed on his shoulder and started affectionately grooming his hair; a Minior zoomed circles around his head. He freed most of them and started directing them to move outside the truck when he stumbled upon Joy. The Alolan Vulpix looked elated to see him and rushed into his arms as soon as he unlocked her cage.

“Your owner sent me,” he explained, “he sent me to find you. And I found all of you.” He looked around at all the grateful Pokémon attempting to crowd him instead of exit like he told them to. A small whimper cut through the din and Shuichi turned his head to see a Zorua licking an injured paw.

 _A Zorua? Why would they steal you?_ Zorua could be found in Alola, but all of the other Pokémon here were exclusive to the Alolan Islands. At the distant sound of sirens, Shuichi gently picked up the injured Zorua and stumbled to the opening of the door while juggling it and Joy in his arms. He sat down on the pavement as the police cars came to a halt around him.

“You don’t understand!” Shuichi’s head whipped around as the bleeding thief struggled to sit up. “We’re saving them; we were paid to! This land is doomed! They’ll only be safe in Alola! The Beast Killer has been born and only it can protect us from the demon that devours light! That’s why we have to return it!”

Shuichi could only stare silently as his Uncle stepped out of his car and hauled the thief to his feet. Once both the thief and his accomplice were stowed away at the back of one of the police cruisers, his uncle and all his coworkers approached the Pokémon still milling around Shuichi.

“Great job!” Jun congratulated. “You busted some Pokémon thieves!” He would have said more, but Jiro elbowed him out of the way.

“Shuichi, are you okay?”

“My ankle hurts,” he admitted. It didn’t look broken, but it was swollen and bruised. No doubt Jiro would put him out of commission for a few days.

“Okay!” Jiro raised his voice to be heard. “I’m going to head back with Shuichi right away. Load up the Pokémon in a couple of the cars and follow me back to the agency.”

“Wait!” Shuichi interrupted,” there're more at the warehouse, and we need to get Fang, Scout, and Lumine.”

They managed to fit the Pokémon into three cars with a fourth left over for the ones still at the warehouse. Fang, Scout, and Lumine were waiting in the doorway of the shutter door the truck had crashed through. Shuichi was ordered to remain in the car with the injured Zorua and Joy on his lap while the rest of the Pokémon were retrieved. Fang was looking okay after being thrown across the room, he noted with relief. It was always a risk when going up against dangerous suspects. 

_I think I’m going to stick with low-risk cases for a little bit._

*

Despite it being nearly nine in the evening, the agency was in a flurry of activity. The local news channels immediately sent out a message about the case and where the owners of the stolen Pokémon could find their beloved companions. Shuichi was sprawled on the break-room couch, his ankle wrapped in ice and elevated with a pillow. People and families were reuniting with their Pokémon and then approaching him with their gratitude, his uncle Jiro making sure that every one of them knew exactly who it was who rescued their Pokémon. Exhaustion and hunger reduced him to merely smiling and wishing the families all the best. Scout and Lumine were both crouched on the backrest cushions of the couch, while Zorua and Joy were both happily settled in Shuichi’s lap. He was absentmindedly petting them as people passed by and both would tense in excitement, only to deflate when it wasn’t their owners.

_I hope Mister Komaeda saw the news announcement—_

“Joy!” The Alolan Vulpix took a flying leap, using Shuichi’s stomach as a launch pad, and flew into the arms of Nagito. “I’m so happy to see you!”

Hajime followed close behind Nagito, holding Hope in his arms. He was the one who approached Shuichi while Nagito coddled his recovered Pokémon.

“As agreed,” he held out another envelope to Shuichi.

 _Oh right, the other half of my payment_. He took the envelope and peeked inside, almost fainting again at the sight of all that money. “Are you sure about this? This is a lot of money.”

“I told you before, money is no object to us.”

“You must have a well-paying job,” Shuichi remarked.

Hajime frowned and glanced out of the break room at the crowd of people. When he concluded none of them were paying attention to them, he dragged a chair over so he could sit and talk with Shuichi.

“What I’m about to tell you is very important.”

“O-okay,” Shuichi stammered. Nagito must have heard Hajime’s tone, because he also dragged a chair over and sat down.

“You have done us a huge favor,” Hajime continued. “We will not be forgetting this any time soon. That’s why,” he reached into his pocket, “this is for you.”

The object in his hand was a coin with the image of a Mega Salamence engraved onto it. Shuichi picked up the coin and analyzed it, gently tracing the image with his finger before he spied some kanji on the rim of the coin.

“Kuzuryu?” he read, a confused expression on his face. Suddenly, he gasped and nearly threw the coin.

“The Kuzuryu Clan!?” he whisper-yelled. “You’re yakuza!?”

“Yep!” Nagito beamed, obviously not bothered by his reaction.

“Calm down!” Hajime snapped. “Like I said: you’ve done a huge favor for us and we won’t be forgetting that. We’ve also alerted our leader about what you’ve done, and he allowed us to gift you with this.” Hajime gestured to the coin. “You are granted one favor from the Kuzuryu Clan. Use it wisely, and don’t be dumb about the situation you’ve found yourself in. If you think you can go undercover or something to infiltrate us, you’ll find just how severe our wrath is. We’re grateful, but not foolish.” With that, he handed Hope to Nagito so that the other man could hold both his Vulpix, and rose to his feet to leave.

“Wait!” Shuichi stopped them and reached into his bag leaning against the couch, pulling out Joy’s discarded collar. “Here, I think it still works, or you could get the pendant replaced.” Nagito took the collar and gave Shuichi a friendly farewell as Hajime urged him out of the building.

Shuichi couldn’t help but exhale in relief once they were gone. He held up the coin, gently brushing his thumb over the engraving. He had just been granted a yakuza boss’s blessing of one favor. If his uncle found out, he was going to have a fit.

“Looks like you had some satisfied customers.” Speaking of his uncle, Jiro walked into the break room to see how he was doing, forcing Shuichi to cup the coin in his palm. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay, just tired,” Shuichi responded.

“We’ll head home soon. Most of the owners who could make it tonight are starting to leave. Some live further out in the country and couldn’t make it in today.”

“Wow, those thieves had a wide hunting ground.”

“We’ll board the Pokémon in the agency for the night and then reunite the rest of them tomorrow. Once we get them settled, you and I will go home.”

Shuichi sighed, giving the Zorua a good scratch behind the ears. Unfortunately, it looked like its owner wouldn’t be showing up tonight. Hopefully, Shuichi would get to see the rest of the Pokémon he rescued reunited with their families tomorrow, but, right now, all he wanted to do was go to bed.

*

“Uncle Jiro!” Shuichi whined into his cell phone, “you can’t keep me from the agency!”

At some point in the middle of the night, Jiro had sneaked into Shuichi’s room and turned off his alarm. The result was Shuichi sleeping in and Jiro leaving without him in the morning. Feeling betrayed that he wouldn’t get to see the rest of the Pokémon and that he had been officially grounded, Shuichi called to relay how unfair he found the whole situation.

“You’re staying home and nursing that ankle,” Jiro replied firmly. “You deserve a break, and I sabotaged your alarm because I knew you wouldn’t take it. Your aunt has the day off; just relax at home.”

“Fine,” Shuichi relented, ending the call. 

He sprawled out on his bed, his growling stomach forcing him to acknowledge he needed to get up soon. Scout and Lumine weren’t in his room, so he assumed they were already downstairs eating breakfast. He sat up and rubbed his ankle, whose throbbing pulses from yesterday had settled into a dull pain. A quick glance at his bag on his desk reminded him of the two envelopes filled with money.

_What am I going to do with all of that? I could buy an evolutionary stone for Scout, but…_

He’d had Scout for almost nine years, and the prospect of evolving him had been brought up multiple times from different people. However, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Once Scout evolved, that was it. He couldn’t go back, and he couldn’t be anything else. He remembered being shown a diagram of the eight Eeveelutions, and then a group of his friends and classmates excitedly asking him which one he wanted Scout to evolve into. He hadn’t been able to answer at the time: both because he didn’t know and because his classmates had devolved into arguing over which one was the best. It was such a difficult decision, especially for a Pokémon with branched evolution. He began to think about all the Pokémon that evolved with evolutionary stones, recalling that Nagito had been ordering a Dusk Stone for a friend of theirs.

 _Wait._ He sat up in bed with a sudden realization. He _could_ buy an evolutionary stone, but not for himself. One of his friends was celebrating their birthday at the end of the month, just two weeks away. He’d been contemplating for a while what to get them, but this would be perfect! They had a penchant for Ghost-types, and two of their Pokémon evolved using a Dusk Stone.

But one of them…

Shuichi paused in thought as another sudden realization washed over him. If his memory of the back workshop of the Stone Emporium served correctly, then maybe he could get something even better than an evolutionary stone. He got out of bed and stumbled to his desk, opening his laptop and sending a quick email. If he was lucky, they would reply soon, and he could get the item reserved as soon as possible—

Almost immediately, an invitation for a video chat appeared on his toolbar. He clicked it and was greeted with the owner’s face smiling at him.

“Hello, Mister Saihara!” she greeted cheerfully. “I saw that news story last night. Looks like you managed to catch that crook.”

“Yes, I did, ma’am,” he smiled back.

“Wonderful! So, why the email, if I may ask?”

“I’m sort of on bed rest from an injury. Otherwise, I would gladly walk down there.”

“Well I hope you feel better soon. So, what can I do for you?”

“If I remember correctly, your shop sells Mega Stones, yes?”

“We do!” she beamed, moving out of sight for a second and returning with a notepad. “Which one would you like? I’ll see if we currently have it or could order it for you.”

“A Banettite.”

The owner began to fiddle with something offscreen, possibly a catalogue, but he wasn’t too sure. “We don’t currently have one in stock, but one our sister stores a few towns over does. I can have it shipped over and reserved for you.”

“That would be wonderful,” he said.

She scrawled down a message on her notepad, most likely his name and the item so that it could be put to the side for him on the stone’s arrival. “Didn’t know you have a Banette. I thought it was just the three Pokémon I saw with you yesterday.”

“I have an Eevee and Rockruff,” he explained. “The Stoutland and Mightyena belong to my uncle. This Banettite is for a friend whose birthday is at the end of the month. Do you think it’ll get here in time?”

“It should be here in about a week. We’ll email you when it’s arrived.”

“Wait, don’t I need to pay a deposit?”

“Oh, we trust you,” she smiled. “You can pay the full price when you pick it up. Will that be all?”

“Yes, that’s all. Thank you!”

“Thank you, dear.”

When the video chat disconnected, Shuichi leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms. He picked up the envelopes from his bag and dumped their contents onto his desk, sorting the money in easy-to-count piles. By the time he was done, he realized that buying the Mega Stone, as expensive as they were, would hardly put a dent in the amount of money Hajime and Nagito gave him. 

_All this for one job. Normally, I’d have to work, like, fifty or more to get even close to this amount._

“Shuichi!” he heard his aunt call from downstairs. “Can you make it down the stairs for breakfast, or should I bring it up to you?”

“I’m coming!” he called back. “I’ll risk the stairs, just wait at the bottom to catch me if I slip!”

*

In the dark mustiness of its prison, the creature dug its talons into the concrete floor, scraping miniscule pieces of rock out of the small trenches it had created. It tried to settle into a more comfortable position, but the rattling of its chain made it even more enraged. Its food and water dishes were empty, and if it didn’t muster the energy to escape soon, it would perish in this underground cell. Humans created it, humans abused it, and humans put it here.

But a human also allowed it to escape from its torture.

Maybe that human would rescue it once more. All it could do was sit there in the darkness, waiting for a light that may or may not come. It trusted that human, no others. That human showed kindness, all the others had tormented it.

All it could do was wait and suffocate in its rage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic will be divided into three main parts with multiple chapters in each part. Most of the Danganronpa characters will make an appearance, while others will be mentioned. The V3 characters are the main focus, while the DR1 and DR2 characters have varying supporting roles.


	2. Patchwork Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi discovers that the Pokemon trafficking ring is a lot more prevalent than previously thought, and investigating the warehouse turns up more than he bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia, Zorua (Jester)  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 2: Patchwork Monster

_I wonder if clearing one’s Pokémon off their instruments is a common problem people have,_ Kaede pondered as she shooed her Swablu and Espurr off her piano. Both let out small whines of irritation from being moved. Cy, her Espurr, jumped onto her bed beside her Sylveon, while Cloud, her Swablu, landed on her head and gave the strand of her hair that wouldn't lie flat a light tug.

“Behave,” she scolded,” both of you.”

Kaede stacked her music sheets and set them on the easel. After adjusting herself on the cushioned bench, she began to lose herself in her playing. Alba, her Sylveon, jumped up to sit on the top of her piano and use her ribbons to turn Kaede’s music sheets.

“Wait-wait-wait,” she stopped playing, drawing the attention of all three of her Pokémon. “This isn’t the list for my concert. Everyone, look for the stack with the pink paperclip.”

Nobody moved, since they apparently knew the layout of her room and location of her belongings better than she did. Alba pointed a ribbon toward the hope chest under Kaede’s window. She had several music lists laid out on the chest, the one she wanted resting slightly to the right. With a sigh, she stood up from her bench and walked over to collect the music sheets. While she was there, she opened the window to cool the room off, only for a sudden gust to burst through and scatter her music.

“Ah! No-no-no!” she shrieked, trying to catch them before they could fall out from their paperclips. In her frantic scrambling, she knocked a small trinket off her windowsill and could only watch as it tumbled backward out the open window. She poked her head out to try and see where it could have landed, joined by three little curious heads.

“Stay here,” she ordered, reluctantly leaving her room to retrieve the item.

The back of her house was a long alleyway where she and her neighbors could store their trash cans and have access to small storage sheds built into the back of their terrace houses. She stepped out the back door and instantly spied the trinket. Thankfully, it wasn’t ceramic or made of glass and was rather sturdy. It was a little dented from the impact, but hopefully no one would notice.

 _This is exactly why I don’t keep my trophies near the window_. She pocketed the trinket and was about to go back inside, when a sudden noise drew her attention.

“Eeek-kyuuu?”

It was faint, but the relative emptiness of the alleyway combined with it being bordered by terrace houses, caused the sound to echo slightly. She couldn’t exactly pinpoint where it was coming from, but her immediate thought was a Ghost. Korekiyo had a couple Ghost-types and his Litwick liked to dim its flame and pop out of nowhere. Himiko’s Misdreavus liked to do that too, now that she thought about it. Was that a common trait among Ghost-types?

“Eeek-kyuuu?” came the sound again.

“Hello?” she called back. Her voice echoed down the alley, but the noise didn’t respond. She stayed silent, listening attentively for anything that might indicate she wasn’t alone out here.

 _Huh, guess not_. She turned toward her back door, only to shriek and stumble back. A small creature was standing in her way, and the only reason she saw it was because its head was wiggling back and forth.

“Wha-what are—,” she scooted back, trying to put as much distance between her and it. She heard a small cry from above and looked up to see Cy poking his head out her bedroom window. The Espurr’s ears were partially lifted and he looked ready to spring out at her command. Kaede chanced a look at the creature before ordering her Pokémon to attack a possibly innocent animal. It had a dull yellow body and was still wiggling to draw her attention.

“A… a Mimikyu?” she gasped.

It was an actual Mimikyu! She had heard about this strange little Pokémon, and even seen pictures of it. It was a dual Ghost/Fairy-type that disguised itself as a Pikachu. With that said, its wiggling “head” was actually the head of its disguise. She could see two beady eyes staring at her from the disguise’s chest.

“What are you doing here?” she asked softly, shifting so she was kneeling and holding her hand out. The Mimikyu hesitated before scuttling forward and nearly threw its “head” into her palm so she would pet it. What was a Mimikyu doing all the way here? Her mind instantly went to Shuichi’s bust from the week before. All those Pokémon had been Alolan Pokémon, maybe this Mimikyu was one of them. Or at least a victim of the trafficking ring in general.

“You’re coming with me,” she cooed, picking the Mimikyu up and cradling it. The Pokémon let out a small squeal of delight, a shadowy claw emerging from under its disguise and gripping her wrist. She would have panicked, but its grip was gentle. There were a lot of rumors she had heard about Mimikyu, mostly from Angie who had first-hand experience, being from Alola and all. It was said they disguise themselves as Pikachu to fool people into believing they’re actually Pikachu, but the disguise also hides their shadowy forms from sunlight. It was also said that glimpsing at their true form under the disguise will drive one mad.

 _I should call Angie,_ and she was about to do it, setting the Mimikyu on her kitchen countertop and grabbing the home phone from its port, but then stopped. A Mimikyu shouldn’t be on the mainland unless it belonged to someone. If it did have an owner, there was a chance they would have reported the disappearance to local enforcement. And if it didn’t have an owner, then it might be the victim of poaching and trafficking.

She dialed Shuichi’s cell phone instead.

“Hello?” He picked up after only two rings.

“Hi, Shuichi,” she greeted.

“Oh, Kaede, what’s up?”

“I found a Mimikyu.”

There was a loud clattering sound from his end, plus the sound of him shouting and fumbling. “Dropped my phone. I’m sorry, what?! You found a Mimikyu!?”

“Yeah, she was just hanging around in the back alley of my neighborhood. She’s pretty friendly, do you think she might be a victim of your traffickers?”

Shuichi exhaled slowly. “I don’t know. Rantaro told me that Mimikyu tend to be really friendly if you show interest in them. They’re lonely creatures. Bring it by the agency, okay?”

“Are you still ‘grounded’ from last week?”

“Technically, but since my ankle’s healed, he can’t stop me from walking in.”

“See you soon,” Kaede laughed. She hung up and summoned the rest of her flock from upstairs. “Everyone, this is Mimikyu, I found her in the back alley. We’re going to go visit Shuichi at the agency and see if we can track down an owner.” They happily jumped into their Pokéballs without a hassle.

Shuichi and his family lived close to the agency, but Kaede’s home was a train ride away. Unfortunately, since Mimikyu were such a rarity, she found herself swamped by people on the train, crowding around her and asking all sorts of questions about the little Ghost/Fairy-type. She lost count of how many times she said “I don’t know,” and “It’s not my Pokémon,” but they didn’t seem to care. At least Mimikyu looked happy with all the attention, but Kaede was still relieved to stumble out of the train and start fast-walking down the street to avoid drawing any more attention. Upon entering the agency, giving the receptionist a quick hello, and walking through to the office area, she was greeted with an unexpected sight.

“Maki! Kaito!” she called out. The two individuals turned away from Shuichi’s desk to greet her back. “What are you doing here?”

“Shuichi called us,” said Maki. “Apparently, you found a Mimikyu?”

The Pokémon jumped out of Kaede’s arms and landed on Shuichi’s desk, turning about to get a good look at the four individuals surrounding her.

“There wasn’t a Mimikyu in the warehouse or truck,” Shuichi said, more to himself than to his audience.

“Maybe she escaped?” Kaede suggested. “She has a shadow arm, maybe she was able to undo the lock on her cage?” She glanced at Kaito and Maki to see if they had anything to say but noticed something that was both humorous and interesting. “Kaito, I thought you were scared of ghosts?”

He jerked back slightly, but managed to hold his ground. “This one isn’t as bad as Korekiyo’s Pokémon. But,” he shuddered, “that Pikachu disguise is still kinda spooky.”

“You have living meteorites and a rumored alien for Pokémon,” said Maki, “and you’re afraid of a tiny Ghost-type?”

“My Pokémon aren’t scary!” Kaito insisted.

“Whatever,” Maki sighed.

Upon hearing their trainer insist on their not-scariness, Kaito’s Solrock, Lunatone, and Elgyem levitated over to the small corner. In Kaede’s opinion, she found the Lunatone’s wide-open, red eyes to be a little disconcerting, but other than that, she was fine with them. The three were content to hover beside Kaito, but something small suddenly shot by Kaede's head, forcing her to duck.

“What is that!?” Kaede shrieked.

“You make fun of me being afraid of ghosts, but you get spooked by this little guy?” Kaito chuckled, holding an arm up for the small shape to settle in his hand. It was a small ball with spikes covered in a rocky shell. It could only be—

“A Minior?” said Kaede, leaning in to investigate. “It does look like a meteorite!”

“Yeah, he’s cute,” Kaito held the Pokémon against his chest and patted what looked like the top of its head. “I call him Comet.”

“That isn’t your Pokémon,” Maki objected.

“It might as well be,” Shuichi sighed.

“Why?” asked Kaede.

“That’s one of the Pokémon I rescued from the traffickers a week ago. No one has come in to claim it. There are still a couple around here that haven’t been claimed. I’m worried they were wild and brought here to be sold or bred.”

“Couldn’t you send them back?”

Shuichi grimaced. “I’m not exactly familiar with trade laws between regions; especially since these guys are wild. But, since they’re not native, we can’t release them into the local area.”

“Rantaro could do it,” Maki suggested. “He goes to Alola all the time. He could take them on his family’s boat.”

“Great thinking, Maki-roll!” Kaito praised. “We could talk to Angie to see if she knows anyone in Alola who could rehabilitate them.”

“I guess that would be okay,” said Shuichi. “There aren’t that many left: Minior, Yungoose, Bounsweet, and this Zorua.” He gestured to his feet, where the three could see a Zorua was resting on a pillow in his leg space. It bared its teeth in something resembling a smile, a mischievous glint in its eye.

“Why would they take a Zorua?” Maki wondered. “Those aren’t exclusive to Alola.”

“Maybe it’s a pedigree?” said Kaede.

“Then someone should’ve claimed it,” Maki concluded. “Your uncle told law enforcement in Alola about the traffickers, right?” she asked Shuichi. “If the people of Alola know about the stolen Pokémon, then any owners who live there would know that their Pokémon were found.”

“I don’t know what his story is,” said Shuichi, glancing down at Zorua. “All I know is that he was in that truck with the rest, and that means he was being trafficked. I want to help him.”

“That’s the spirit, Shuichi!” Kaito clapped him on the back. “Let’s go see Angie and Rantaro! They could help us.” Having concluded that was what they were going to do before any of the others could agree, he returned his Pokémon to their Pokeballs and started marching for the door with Minior in his grip.

“Kaito,” Maki called after him, “leave the Minior.”

He stopped and partially turned back toward them. “But he wants to come with us.”

Kaede couldn’t help but chuckle at Kaito’s insistence. “I don’t see any harm in bringing Minior. It seems to like him.”

Besides, if Kaito had Minior with him, then maybe the train ride to Angie’s studio would be less hectic than her ride to the agency. Hopefully, the patrons would be split between wanting to see Mimikyu and wanting to see Minior. But, there was also the fact that Maki’s harsh stare would ward some of them away.

“What if its trainer shows up while we’re gone?” asked Maki.

“I don’t think it has one,” Shuichi admitted in a sad tone. He stood up from his chair and looped his bag around his shoulder. “Scout! Lumine! Let’s go!”

The two Pokémon came barreling over from seemingly nowhere, forcing Maki to picked up one foot so they didn’t crash into her. Still, in their eagerness, they tumbled into a furry, flailing ball when they failed to stop in time and took out Zorua with them. The three wrestled for a short period while Shuichi cautiously reached into the pile and pulled each out separately. He returned Scout and Lumine to their Pokéballs before they could protest and clipped the Pokéballs to his belt.

“See you, Zorua,” he bid the black fox farewell, urging his friends to collect their things and leave the building.

“That didn’t work,” Kaede whispered to Shuichi after casting a glance over her shoulder to spy a small, black shape purposefully trotting after them, both his head and little tail held high. “He’s certainly prideful; he’s practically strutting,” she laughed.

“You need to stay here,” Shuichi ordered in a firm tone, suggesting this had been a reoccurring action. Never before had any of them seen a more human-like expression of “make me” on a Pokémon’s face.

“Maki,” Shuichi turned to her in defeat, “you work at the Pokémon daycare, any tips?”

“I’m off duty,” she replied dismissively.

“I’ll _pay_ you.”

“C’mon Shuichi, just bring him with us,” Kaito insisted. “He could probably use the exercise after being cooped up in here for so long.”

Shuichi looked like he wanted to argue, but relented when Zorua’s eyes suddenly welled with Fake Tears. “Alright,” he sighed, “but stay close to me. We don’t know if the thieves had any other accomplices who weren’t caught.”

Zorua appeared to agree with those terms; he trotted beside Shuichi as well as any show-trained Pokémon. Kaede let Mimikyu move into her shoulder, her shadowy claw gripping Kaede’s hair to keep herself balanced. Kaito let Minior go and the small shooting star began orbiting around his head, flipping back and forth between facing him and facing outward, making strange echoing sounds as it did so. In fact, it wasn’t too different to what Kaito’s Pokémon often did when they were out of their Pokéballs together. The levitating trio tended to orbit around Kaito, almost as if he had his own gravitational pull. Given that Minior immediately did this as well, Shuichu began to wonder if his friend’s charisma was that attractive. They managed to snag four seats next to each, with three of them sitting with a Pokémon in their laps: Kaede with Mimikyu, Shuichi with Zorua, and Kaito with Minior. Like Kaede predicted, they got a lot of attention, still most of it focused on Mimikyu.

“Look at this,” Maki’s voice broke through the quiet clamor of the train ride. She was reading something on her phone, and when the others leaned in, Shuichi saw it was Pokédex app. Traveling trainers usually received a Pokédex for their journey, but, for those who didn’t embark on a Pokémon journey, there was a phone app that had some features of the Pokédex. It wasn’t as in-depth with information, but it was a good source of the basics.

“Minior are covered in an outer shell of thick rock. When it breaks away, their core is exposed. Apparently, they come in different colors.”

Kaito held up Minior and started rotating it, trying to see if he could spy what color it was under its shell. Minior didn’t seem to mind being rolled around, and given that it tended to spin like that on its own when levitating, Shuichi guessed that Kaito’s handling was probably enjoyable in the Pokémon’s eyes. Zorua jumped out of the detective’s lap and up near his shoulder so that he could look out the window. Mimikyu was doing the same thing, obviously enjoying her day out.

Down near the service docks and the marina, there were a series of old warehouses that had been gutted and turned into businesses and artist’s lofts. Angie had been lucky enough to snag one for herself; but, then again, that was easy to do when she was already a fairly well-known artist even before moving away from Alola. There were several local dealers who were interested in her Alolan-inspired work, which was something of a breath of fresh air in novelty. Getting off the train and walking along the old-fashioned streets were a little bit of a hassle but spying Angie’s loft out of all the others was a cinch. The door that opened to a flight of stairs leading to the upper level was decorated with all sorts of bursts of color. The stairs themselves were a little creaky and were so narrow that Kaito kept scraping his elbows against the walls.

“I don’t see how she manages to get any of her work out of here,” said Kaede. “She must have to lower it with pulleys from the roof.”

At the top of the stairs was a landing with a shut door, a small bell posted on the wall with a sign indicating that visitors ring it to signal their presence. Shuichi rang the bell and the doors opened a few seconds afterward. If one didn’t know what a shiny Smeargle looked like, they might be inclined to believe the paint-smattered Pokémon standing before them was one. But it wasn’t. Angie’s Smeargle merely enjoyed its job and didn’t seem to see any reasons to wash up when it was just going to get covered in paint again. Half the time that Shuichi saw Angie, she followed the same philosophy. They were welcomed into the loft, Smeargle running off to find Angie.

The large space was full of blank canvases on easels and leaning against the walls, as well as supplies of every kind of paint known to man. The floor was covered in sheets to catch paint spills. There was what looked like a large toolbox that had been retrofitted to hold Angie’s paintbrushes and her water dishes for brush-cleaning. They tread carefully so as not to disturb any of Angie’s organized chaos.

“Helloooo!” they were greeted by a musical voice from up a short flight of stairs leading to the roof. Angie was wearing a smock that could have once been colored white, but there was no doubt in any of their minds that she was wearing little else underneath. “Come up! Come up!”

The space the stairs opened to might have been a widow’s walk at some point. If it was, it must have been a large one. Angie had an easel and half-painted canvas set up, with a fold-out tray holding her paints and brushes. The image on the canvas looked nonsensical at the moment, just a swirl of oranges and purples. Angie’s Pokémon were up there with her as well, keeping her company while she worked. Her Tropius and Cottonee was soaking up some of the wonderful sunshine, while her Cutiefly was flitting about. Her Smeargle had taken a seat on the floor, waiting to see why the group of friends had shown up.

“What is-what is-what is this?” Angie sang cheerfully, holding her hand out to Mimikyu, who was still sitting on Kaede’s shoulder. “Kaede, where did you find such a wonderful creature?”

“Behind my house,” the pianist replied. “We think she might be one of the Pokémon from Shuichi’s busted smuggling ring.”

“Hmm,” Angie thoughtfully tapped her chin. “I heard of Shuichi’s brave acts and commend them, but why have you come to me for what answers you seek? Or is this a Saturday stroll?”

“Most of the Pokémon rescued from the smugglers belonged to people,” Shuichi explained. “But even after a week, we still have some left who haven’t been claimed. We were wondering if maybe their owners are in Alola, and if you had anyone that you could contact to ask around.”

Angie tapped her chin again and began pacing. “Are you suuuure these Pokémon have owners?”

“They’re all friendly; except for the Yungoose, he likes to bite ankles.”

“Yungoose are like that,” she said dismissively. “What ones are left?”

“Mimikyu, Minior, Bounsweet, Yungoose, and Zorua,” Shuichi gestured to the three Pokémon that were with them when he said their names.

“Mimikyu want attention, Bounsweet are friendly, and Minior are calm as long as they don’t feel in danger,” Angie gestured to the meteorite-esque Pokémon who was spinning listlessly around Kaito again.

“Buuuut,” Angie kneeled to look at Zorua, “there is no Alolan variant of Zorua. All the other Pokémon were Alolan, yes?”

“Yes, most were Alolan, but some were Alolan variants of Kanto Pokémon,” Shuichi confirmed.

“Then the answer is simple! What doesn’t belong?”

“What do you mean?” asked Kaede.

“You found a single non-Alolan among several stolen Alolan Pokémon, seems to meeee,” Angie stood up and gave a little twirl, “one of these things doesn’t belong.”

Shuichi looked the artist with a perplexed expression before her words sank in. “You mean… Zorua wasn’t one of the stolen Pokémon?”

“Yup!” Angie cheerfully agreed. “Alolan Pokémon are valuable and there’s a booming business of smuggling. Why would they waste their resources on transporting a Pokémon that can found in lots of cities on the mainland?”

“A booming business?” said Maki. “Is it really that bad?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Angie sighed. “And it’s only gotten worse. I remember breaking traps set up in forests and meadows when I was younger. But,” she paused and tapped her chin again, “I have noticed an odd trend.”

“An odd trend?” Shuichi repeated.

“According to my family and friends still in Alola, there has been a decrease in Pokémon being shipped out of the islands.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” said Kaito.

“That is the good news, the bad news is: there’s been an increase in trafficking on the mainland.”

“How do you know that?” asked Shuichi.

“Because the Aether Foundation has been intercepting more and more boats full of Alolan Pokémon _returning_ to Alola.”

“Aether Foundation?”

“They are a Pokémon foundation with a research facility located out in the ocean,” Angie explained. “They rehabilitate Pokémon and their habitats. They were still a new establishment by the time I left Alola. You should talk to Rantaro, he’ll know more about their recent activities.”

“Is he around?” said Kaede.

“Yes,” Angie leaned over the railing surrounding the widow’s walk. “He joined me for tea about an hour ago. He should be down at his boat.” She pointed to the marina, easily recognizable by the countless colorful sails and banners that they could see even from this distance.

“Alright, let’s go see Rantaro!” Kaito attempted to lead the march to the marina, but stopped when Shuichi failed to join. “Shuichi, you alright?”

The young detective had his head facing downward and his arms crossed over his chest while he lost himself in thought. “The smugglers… they said something really interesting to me. They said they were being _paid_ to return the Pokémon to Alola because that was the only place they would be safe. Angie,” he looked up, “do you know anyone who wants Alolan Pokémon to be returned to the islands?”

“Sounds like the rantings of one of the old families,” she replied.

“Old families?”

“Family lines descended from the ancient kings of the past; in fact, I belong to one. There are four old families, one to each island. The Alolan ecosystem is fragile, since they’re islands. You can see what happens when non-native Pokémon take over the place by looking at the Rattata-Yungoose fiasco. The old families preach about maintaining the delicate ecosystem, which is understandable, but one in particular has been spouting about how Alola needs to be restored to its isolated glory for a long time. ‘Bring back the Alolan Pokémon, restore the islands to their natural state. Get rid of the ones who don’t belong.’”

“That sounds awful!” Kaede gasped.

“It’s okay,” Angie reassured, “not many people listen to them. But that may be your answer, Shuichi. If those smugglers were paid to steal Pokémon exclusive to Alola and bring them back, with Zorua being the odd one out, then one of the old families may be behind it!”

Shuichi’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Angie… have you ever heard of something called 'Beast Killer?'”

The artist’s eyes widened in shock. “Such a scary name! No, I haven’t heard of something like that.”

“Think hard. Maybe it was an old story or some kind of mythology?”

“ _A_ beast-killer, one out of a group? Because it could be an odd name for the Guardian deities.”

Shuichi paused again as he struggled to recall the thief’s words. “No wait, he said _the_ Beast Killer.”

“So there’s only one,” Maki determined.

“I don’t know about you,” Kaito spoke up, “but with a name like ‘Beast Killer,’ whatever it is, I don’t want to ever have to face off against it.”

Angie shook her head. “Nothing comes to mind, I’m afraid. I’ve never heard of Beast Killer.”

“What about a ‘demon that devours light?’” Shuichi inquired.

Angie suddenly looked astonished and took a step back. “Wow,” she whispered, “I haven’t heard that name in a long time.”

“You know about it?” Kaede pressed.

“My grandmother knew all kinds of old stories about Alola when she was still alive. She used to tell me them when I was little. Legend has it, there were once two Pokémon: ‘the beast that devours the sun’ and ‘the beast that calls the moon.’ They appeared from the heavens and were so mighty and noble that the ancient kings of Alola bowed before them. There are many stories about these two, but the one that I think is what will help you most involved a third creature—but it is unknown if it was a Pokémon.”

“What else could it have been?” asked Kaito.

“I don’t know,” Angie shrugged. “This third being was called the ‘Pillager of Light.’ The story goes that it, too, appeared from the stars and stole all of Alola’s light, plunging the islands in darkness. The two Pokémon and the Guardian Deities fought against the Pillager and defeated it, restoring light to Alola and banishing it away.”

“Maybe this demon thing is one of those two Pokémon?” Kaito proposed. “’Beast that devours the sun’, ‘demon that devours light’… They could just be different translations of the same thing.”

“No,” Angie interjected, “they’re not. In the story, ‘light’ refers to both the moon and the sun. If one of those smugglers talked about a ‘demon that devours light’ then it sounds like the Pillager from the old story. But… that’s what’s troubling.”

“What do you mean?” said Shuichi.

“The story of the Pillager is not one that is known by all of Alola. The only reason I know it is because my grandmother found some very old documents hidden in a library. There are so many stories about the two Pokémon, but only the one about the Pillager, and it was hidden away so that no one would find it. So how did that thief know about it?”

“Are you sure it isn’t just another way of saying ‘beast that devours the sun?’” said Kaito.

“The Pokémon were regarded as royalty. No one who knows the stories would refer to them as ‘demons,’” Angie responded firmly. “I’m positive it’s the Pillager of Light.”

“Do you think the story’s true?” asked Kaede.

“When I first heard it, it was very frightening. The idea that something could pop out of nowhere and steal all the light. But, when I got older and thought more about it, the story almost sounded like a… _fantasized_ version of an eclipse. The Pillager wasn’t described as a Pokémon and there were no drawings of it in the document. The ancient people of Alola just might have overreacted to an eclipse, and it became a legend that the two Pokémon restored the light after it was stolen.”

“But then why hide the story?” Shuichi wondered.

“I don’t know,” Angie shrugged again. “If you want a detailed account of all the stories, you should go see Kiyo. I’m sure he can track them down for you.”

“And maybe he might know why the story about the Pillager was hidden,” Kaede added.

“Alright,” Shuichi agreed. “I’ll go see Kiyo another day. Let’s go ask Rantaro about the Aether Foundation and the smugglers returning to Alola.”

“And whether he could take the last of the Pokémon back to Alola,” said Kaede.

“You know,” Angie spoke up before they could leave, “there’s an easy way of figuring out if the Pokémon have trainers.”

“What’s that?” said Shuichi.

“Catch them in a Pokéball. If they go, then they’re wild. If they don’t, they already have a Pokéball.”

Shuichi could tell that Angie’s words were weighing heavily on Kaede and Kaito as they exited the loft. Her suggestion was a very simple solution to figuring out if the Pokémon already had trainers, but just seemed wrong. Not every Pokémon who had an owner also had a Pokéball; some people didn’t use them. If they tried the Pokéball method, then they could possibly be stealing someone’s companion, but it would also give a definitive answer if the catch was rejected.

It was a warm, sunny day and the marina was alive with activity. Families and friends were loading up their boats for a day out on the water. Kaede was pointing out some of the silly names on the boats, Wingull and Pelipper were swooping around, the air had a tang of salt. If Shuichi weren’t worrying over the Pokémon, he would have relaxed in the atmosphere. And he couldn’t tell why he was still worrying; they looked like they were having fun. Mimikyu had moved on top of Kaede’s head and was grasping for some of the lower-hanging flags and banners. Minior was spinning faster in excitement and switching between orbiting around wooden pillars and Kaito and Maki. Zorua was loping down the dock and trying to swipe at a Goldeen that poked its head out of the water.

Upon recognizing Rantaro’s boat, Kaede raced down the dock and stood in front of the ladder. “Permission to come aboard!” she announced, saluting smartly.

A familiar mop of green hair peered out from the upper deck. “Permission granted.”

Shuichi, Maki, and Kaito didn’t bother with asking permission, although Kaede scolded them for “not following protocol.” Rantaro’s family was very wealthy, and while this boat technically belonged to his father, Rantaro used it all the time to visit other regions and negotiate business contracts for his father’s company. Alola was just one of the many places he had visited, and if there were anything happening, particularly anything the news didn’t report on, Rantaro would be the most likely person to know.

Rantaro welcomed them warmly up to the top deck where the steering was. “What brings you guys down to the marina? Kaede, when did you get a Mimikyu?”

“That’s kind of why we’re here,” said Shuichi. “You heard about me stopping those smugglers?”

“Yeah, good job by the way.”

“Thanks,” Shuichi mumbled, instinctively pulling his hat down. “Most of the Pokémon were returned to their owners, but we have a couple that no one has claimed. Mimikyu, Minior, and Zorua are three of them.”

Rantaro narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Why would they steal a Zorua?”

“That’s what Angie said!” Kaito exclaimed. “She said that the traffickers are targeting Alolan Pokémon and returning them to Alola.”

“What she said is correct,” Rantaro confirmed. “Come down to the lower deck.”

They followed him down to the lower deck, where Rantaro set up several fold-out chairs and pulled out a cooler of drinks. He encouraged them to let their Pokémon out of their Pokéballs and enjoy themselves while they talked. When he said this, his own Pokémon appeared from various places. His Lapras reared her head up from the water and begged Kaede, her biggest fan, to pet her. His Gallade appeared from the stairs that led to below deck, while his Dartrix stood on the railing of the bow and began sunbathing. Shuichi received a shock when he opened the cooler and discovered Rantaro’s fourth Pokémon, a Slowpoke, had taken up residence on top of the ice.

“Out,” Rantaro ordered, but his tone was laced with amusement. He managed to heave the dopey Pokémon out of the cooler and dispense bottles of soda or lemonade to his friends. “So, what would you like to know about the smugglers?”

“Angie said that there’s more trafficking on the mainland because the smugglers’ ships are bringing Alolan Pokémon back.”

Rantaro nodded. “I don’t know if the media has caught wind of the connection yet, but my boat-faring friends from different cities confirm it. There’s been more sightings of Alolan Pokémon in the cities up and down the coast. Mysterious boats docking at night and disappearing when the sun rises. People from further inland reporting any Alolan Pokémon they owned going missing.”

“Why hasn’t the media caught wind of that?” said Shuichi. “Usually they gobble that stuff up.”

“It’s a large range.” Gallade suddenly walked over with a stack of newspapers in his arms. Rantaro spread the newspapers on the deck and began pointing to each one and explaining from what location it originated from. “My friends and some of my father’s business partners sent me these. Further inland, the missing reports are sporadic and spread out, but as you get closer to the coast, the sightings become more common. Whoever’s doing this, their stomping grounds are inland, but the Pokémon are being funneled into five main coastal cities across regions, including our city.”

“Access to the coast means the Pokémon can get loaded onto the boats and shipped out,” said Maki.

“Exactly.”

“Angie said the boats were getting intercepted by the Aether Foundation,” Kaede spoke up.

“Yeah, what’s the Aether Foundation?” Kaito asked.

“They’re a research and rescue group,” explained Rantaro. “They built an artificial island called Aether Paradise in the waters surroundings the Alolan Islands. They research the shifting ecosystems of Alola and rescue and rehabilitate Pokémon suffering from environmental damage. Recently, there’s been a population boom of Mareanie and Toxapex, and the Corsola population has dropped because they’re being preyed upon. The Aether Foundation saved as many Corsola as they could and are keeping them as a breeding population in Aether Paradise until they can find a way to balance the Mareanie and Toxapex populations. Just to name one of their accomplishments.”

“Wow,” said Shuichi, “and they’re the ones who are stopping the boats from reaching Alola?”

“Most of the time. I don’t know what happens to the Pokémon on the boats that reach the islands, but the one rescued by the foundation are rehabilitated and kept safe on the artificial island.”

“Are they reunited with their owners?” asked Kaede.

“I don’t know if the foundation is even aware of what’s happening on the mainland. They’re very focused on their cause and they’re not always communicative with the islands when it comes to non-scientific topics. They may not know the Pokémon have trainers.”

“We think some of them might be wild,” said Shuichi. “Since not all have been claimed despite having sent out the message a week ago. We haven’t received any communications from possible owners from the ones who are left.”

“Then the ones left might be wild and brought to the mainland by other traffickers to sell before the smugglers who are functioning now started their operations,” Rantaro suggested.

“Could you take them back to Alola next time you go?” Shuichi asked.

Rantaro ran a hand through his mop of hair. “Honestly? You’d be better off just trying to find homes for them here. Besides, they looked like they’ve bonded with you guys.”

Minior was performing aerial acrobatics with Kaito’s Solrock, Lunatone, and Elgyem. Mimikyu was pulling on Maki’s Marowak’s skull with her shadowy claw, trying to see if it would come off. All that earned her was smack with its Thick Club and a glare from Maki’s Pawniard. Zorua was biting and pulling at Slowpoke’s tail (not that Slowpoke even noticed) while Lumine, Scout, and Alba seemed to cheer him on.

“It seems kind of cruel to just send them away after they’ve found a stable situation,” Maki admitted.

“Yes!” Kaede cheered, not even bothering to hide her joy at the prospect of keeping her new friend. Shuichi didn’t even need to glance at Kaito to know he was celebrating too, especially considering he attempted to give Minior one of his space-themed nicknames the second he saw the Pokémon.

“Which ones are left besides these three?” Rantaro asked.

“A Yungoose and a Bounsweet,” Shuichi replied.

“I’ll take them.”

“Wha-! You will!?”

Rantaro gave him a gentle smile. “Yeah, my sisters will love them. Besides, Yungoose are technically an invasive species in Alola. It might be illegal for me to take it back to the islands anyway.”

“Okay,” said Shuichi, relieved that he had managed to find homes for the Pokémon who didn’t have them. “Just let me know when you want to pick them up from the agency. Would you like Zorua too?”

“Huh?” Rantaro tilted his head. “You’re not going to keep him?”

“Um…” Shuichi looked over at the black fox. Zorua had quit biting Slowpoke’s tail and was now running and leaping at Maki’s Togetic. “I’m not sure. I still don’t know why he was in the smugglers’ truck.”

“Well, if you don’t want him, I’ll take him too. But sleep on it, okay?”

“Okay,” Shuichi agreed.

Rantaro took a sip from his soda and leaned back in his chair. “And I wouldn’t worry too much about the trafficking. With the Aether Foundation stopping the boats and confiscating the Pokémon, and those vigilantes raiding the boats at the docks, I think the trafficking ring will be broken up before long.”

“Vigilantes?” said Kaede.

“Oh!” Rantaro suddenly looked excited. “It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. Sometimes I sleep out here— the house can get a little crowded,” he sheepishly admitted, obviously referring to his twelve sisters. “Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but sometimes you need your own space. Anyway, I was sleeping out here when Lapras woke me up by pushing against the boat. One of the smuggler’s ships was docking at the service docks. Gallade and I went to investigate, and I saw a bunch of people loading up caged Alolan Pokémon into the boat. I was about to call the police but then a group of people in white outfits came out of nowhere and attacked with their Pokémon. They were commanded by this short guy with a hat and cape; he had a shiny Roselia.”

“I saw them!” Shuichi exclaimed, spooking his friends. “At the warehouse. They’re the ones who stopped the smugglers’ truck. They let me take the Pokémon and ran off. I think their name was… DICE?”

“That’s so cool!” said Kaito. “It’s like a group of super heroes.”

“I’ll admit it’s admirable, but they’re not super heroes,” said Maki. “If they’re not careful, they’ll run into trouble with the traffickers.”

“Shuichi,” Rantaro drew the detective’s attention, “you should report that warehouse as a possible rest stop on the trafficking route that passes through Litra City. There’s a chance they’ll use it again.”

“Right.” Shuichi finished his soda and stood up. “Thanks Rantaro, you’ve been enlightening. I feel better now about the trafficking. Keep an eye out for any of the smugglers’ ships, okay?”

“Will do.”

The four returned their Pokémon to the Pokéballs, Kaito and Kaede eagerly collecting their new Pokémon. They bid Rantaro farewell and started off back for the train station. They decided to part ways once they reached the central transit station, departing on different trains to return home. But even though he was on the train heading home, Shuichi had a strange feeling that he needed to make a quick detour. Rantaro’s words made him think about that old warehouse. If it was truly a rest stop, then what if there was more to it than what was on the surface?

Upon exiting the train station, Shuichi released Lumine and Scout and let them walk with him and Zorua. It was early evening and most of the sidewalks were empty, people were either home or at some bar or restaurant, enjoying their Saturday evening. The warehouse itself looked fairly inconspicuous, but he supposed that’s what made it appealing for the traffickers. It was still technically a crime scene and was cordoned off with yellow tape and traffic cones. Uncle Jiro most likely assumed this was a one-time occurrence, but the newspapers from inland Rantaro showed told a different story. If Rantaro was right, then Shuichi needed to alert the agency so they could turn this location into a trap to catch more of the traffickers.

The door Blazer had busted through was covered in an X of yellow tape. Shuichi ducked under and stepped into the main floorspace. The shutter door was still ripped off from the truck driving through it. Nothing else looked different from when he was first here a week ago. He stepped into the back office where the Pokémon had been held. All the cages had been collected as evidence and all that was left were desks and dust. Shuichi started knocking on the walls, attempting to find a possible false wall or a hole. He did find a hole, but he had accidently caused it by hitting some rotting drywall too hard.

 _This place is falling apart. What could they possibly hide in here?_ He turned, ready to leave, and suddenly found himself face-to-face with a mask. He shouted and fell flat on his back, just like last week. The figure bent over him and tilted their head.

“You’re not very graceful,” they said.

 _Wait a minute_. “You’re that guy! The Phantom Thief!”

The figure giggled and held a finger to their mask. “Who me? Yeah.”

He pulled off his mask and twirled it around his fingers like it was a frisbee. Even in the dim lighting, Shuichi was able to get a good look at his features. The Phantom Thief looked young: he had a round, youthful face, bright purple eyes, and dark hair that curled upward at the ends.

“What brings you back here, Mister Detective? Returning to the scene of the crime?”

“I’m not a criminal.”

“Never said you were. Projecting much?” The thief stopped talking when he felt a tug at his cape. He glanced down to see Lumine and Scout were pulling at the end of his cape with their teeth. Instead of being irritated, the thief looked amused by them and leaned over to pat them each on the head. After a second of holding their ground, Lumine and Scout let go of his cape, having judged that he wasn’t going to hurt Shuichi.

“Oh, thanks by the way.”

“For what?” said Shuichi.

“For taking care of Jester!” The Phantom Thief held out his arms so Zorua could jump up into his embrace. The black fox was yipping and whimpering, happily wagging his tail as he licked the boy’s face.

“Wait… that’s _your_ Pokémon!?”

“Yup-yup! He went undercover in the truck. I didn’t realize he hadn’t jumped out after we stopped the truck. I went back to get him, but you were already climbing into the police car with him. I don’t know if you noticed, but I’ve been stalking you all week.”

“Stalking!?”

“Just so that I could find an opening to get him back. And maybe to steal a pair of your underwear.”

“Hey!”

“Relax,” said the Phantom Thief, “I’m not a creeper. I didn’t want to take Jester back without you knowing because you would worry and go looking for him. The last thing I need is a detective sticking his sleuthing nose in my operations.”

“Operations,” Shuichi softly repeated. “Oh right! My friend saw you at the docks. He saw you save those Pokémon before they were put into the boats. I think that was a great thing for you to do.”

The strange boy’s face was neutral, but his eyes narrowed slightly. “Soooo, you don’t condemn vigilantism?”

“It depends on the situation, but I support what you’re doing.”

“Alright,” he said dismissively, “guess that means I don’t have to kill you.” The Phantom Thief made a gesture that he intended to leave, but Shuichi shot up from the floor.

“Wait!” The boy paused, giving Shuichi a scrutinizing look. “I… um… I want to help you.”

“What?” The Phantom Thief laughed. “I thought your ankle got stepped on, not your head. You’re a _detective_ , you’re the last person we want hanging around.”

“I don’t care who you are, but you guys are risking your lives to save those Pokémon, and that’s not a bad thing. Who cares what the law says.”

“You do realize you just insulted your uncle and your entire profession, right?”

“Police and detectives, we have to follow the law, and sometimes… that doesn’t get results. I want to expose these traffickers, I want everyone to know the truth of what’s happening, and if I have to become a vigilante to do it, then so be it.”

The Phantom Thief stared at him with an intensity that almost made him crumble. “You realize there’s nothing we can defend about what we do, in a legal sense, right? We’re well aware that if we get caught, we go to jail. We’re assaulting people and causing property damage. Glorifying vigilantes just because they stand for something that you do, doesn’t mean their actions are right.”

Shuichi was aware of what the boy was telling him. Vigilantes did have a habit of becoming glorified because their actions, no matter how damaging, got results the police sometimes couldn’t. Vigilantes could stand as symbols of the people and swift justice, but that didn’t mean they could do whatever they wanted just to get results. Shuichi knew he was falling under the spell of rose-colored glasses when he remembered DICE’s actions in stopping the truck, but then he remembered the Pokémon.

“When I stepped into this room, all of the Pokémon started crying out for me to save them. When the thieves got away, and I saw the look of desperation in those Pokémons’ eyes, all I wanted to do was stop them in any way I could. I’m willing to look the other way for your actions as long as we stop the smugglers.”

“But that’s lying,” the Phantom Thief grinned widely. “And don’t start with that ‘ends justify the means’ and ‘for the greater good’ bullshit. You’d be knowingly ignoring criminal activities. Naughty,” he wagged a finger.

“Then… we work together. You guys track the smugglers and pinpoint when and where they’ll be, and I’ll make sure there are police there to catch them. The police don’t have to know about you guys.”

“And what if the smugglers get released from jail? I don’t exactly have a lot of faith in the justice system.”

“Then you have my permission to beat them, because the justice system obviously failed.”

“Ooh, that’s dark!” The Phantom Thief flashed a cheeky smile. “I’ll make a career criminal out of you yet.”

“When I say ‘beat them’ I mean just enough to incapacitate them.”

“Well duh, I knew you were only telling me what I wanted to hear. Alright _Shuichi Saihara,_ ” he emphasized Shuichi’s name to reveal he knew it despite Shuichi never revealing it, “we’ll have a little test run of the relationship you’re proposing. If it works, then good for you. If it doesn’t, then back off.”

“Deal.”

The Phantom Thief flourished his cape in his farewell, and Zorua— _Jester_ — grinned at Shuichi as he left with his trainer. Soon, all that was left was Shuichi and his two Pokémon in a dark, dusty backroom of an abandoned warehouse. Shuichi exhaled slowly, trying to recollect his bearings after that confrontation. He became light-headed and nearly fell, stumbling backward. His shoes hit the floor loudly, making an echoing noise.

 _Echoing_? He stomped on the floor harder, making the sound again. _The floor is hollow_ , he realized. He dropped to his knees and started brushing the accumulated dust, dirt, and bits of drywall off the floor. Lumine and Scout helped by brushing it away with their tails. Soon, they had revealed a hatch in the floor, hidden in plain sight. Shuichi took a couple of deep breaths before lifting the hatch. He opened it all the way and gently laid the door of the hatch on the floor. The hole was dark and smelled just as musty as the rest of the room.

Shuichi took out his phone and turned the flashlight on. He could see steps leading down but couldn’t make out much else from his position. He swung one leg down and tested the strength of the step. When it didn’t give out from under him, he put both feet down and rested his weight on. He started hesitantly climbing down the steep steps when one suddenly snapped, and he plummeted to the hard concrete below. His phone bounced about a foot away but was thankfully unharmed due to its protective case. He groaned in pain and retrieved his phone, using it look around the room. The beam of light had barely revealed he was not alone down there before a hulking mass at the other end of the room leapt to its feet and charged at him, bellowing loudly. Shuichi screamed and covered his face with his arms, knowing he wasn’t going to be able to run and wanted to protect himself as best he could. The creature suddenly stopped its charge with a loud grunt and thudding sound.

Lumine and Scout leapt down from the hatch opening and managed to safely land on their feet. They placed themselves between Shuichi and the threat, their fur piloerect and their teeth bared. Shuichi struggled to catch his breath and prevent himself from having a panic attack. He shakily turned the flashlight back on the creature. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Most of its body was black except for its neck and front legs, which were a dingy gray color and dark green respectively. In fact, its front legs almost looked like an insect’s. It had scarce purple scales on its back legs and a… fish fin for a tail? But the most horrifying thing was the thick, heavy-looking mask encasing its head. A large crest on its head was also held down by a band of the same material as the mask. Thick chains around its front legs and attached to the back of its mask kept the creature tethered to the wall and were the only thing that had saved Shuichi’s life. The creature retreated closer to the wall and started pacing back and forth. Gray eyes filled with a sort of hatred and malice that Shuichi had never thought was possible in a Pokémon’s expression glared at him from within the mask.

 _Is this thing even a Pokémon? It doesn’t look… right_. It looked like it was made of amalgamated parts of other Pokémon. The creature stopped pacing and laid down on some ripped and threadbare blankets but didn’t take its eyes off Shuichi. The young detective took a chance to look around the rest of the room and found it to be bare, except for two metal dishes that the creature must have kicked closer to him when it had lunged. Those could only be for…

 _Has this thing been down here for a week without food and water!?_ If no other smugglers had stopped by since the two who were here were arrested, then the answer was yes. _How is it still alive?_ Hopefully, the smugglers had filled the two dishes before they were arrested, and the creature had some resources to survive up until now. Given the amount of scratch marks on the floor and walls, it had been down here for a long time.

_I have some stuff in my bag._

Shuichi unzipped his bag and pulled out a water bottle and a sandwich in a plastic container he had stolen from the break room at the agency. He cautiously reached out and dragged the two bowls closer to him, the creature growling at him the entire time. He emptied the water bottle into one and placed the sandwich in the other.

 _Now how do I get it close enough so that it can get them but not me?_ His answer came in the form of the wooden board that had broken under his weight. He picked up the board and used it to push the two bowls as close to the creature he felt he could safely get and then scurried backward. The creature continued to glare, but its gaze flickered briefly to the bowls.

 _It might not eat as long as I’m here_ , Shuichi concluded. He snapped a quick picture using his phone, causing the creature to give him a warning snarl, before returning Lumine and Scout to their Pokéballs and climbing out. He closed the hatch door and then laid on the floor on his back, chest heaving and tears pricking at his eyes.

“What the hell was that thing?” he whimpered out loud, begging that some unseen force would give him an answer. He managed to pull up the picture he had taken of it on his phone. It looked so unnatural. He pocketed his phone and rolled onto his hands and knees, unsteadily getting to his feet. He leaned against the walls and the desks as he attempted to walk out of the warehouse. He at least managed to get outside before he collapsed and started sobbing as he came to grips with the fact that he had almost died. Whatever that thing was, it tried to kill him. All he wanted to do was go home and forget about the patchwork monster chained in the basement of an abandoned warehouse. But he couldn’t.

Despite its frightening appearance, he had seen something very familiar in the creature’s eyes, past the burning hatred. Something that he had seen in the eyes of all the Pokémon he had rescued: desperation. The desperate desire to escape, to be free. He didn’t know why that creature was down there, and maybe it was down there for a good reason, but it was as much a victim of those two men as the rest of the Pokémon were. He was scared, he was more scared than he had ever been in his life, but he knew he couldn’t leave it down there to die. It didn’t deserve that. He was going to help it.

_What the hell have I gotten myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atua doesn't exist in this world, so Angie's religious characteristics are more based on the Guardian deities and legends from Alola. She'll become more "priest-like" as the story goes on and the legends come true.  
> The city is named "Litra" and is pronounced Lee-truh. I derived it from the word "littoral" which means "of or relating to the shore." I originally pronounced it as Lih-truh, but Lee-truh sounds better.


	3. Sign of the Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi makes progress with the creature and receives a mythology lesson from Korekiyo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia, Zorua (Jester)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 3: Sign of the Times

Shuichi mentally steeled himself as he lowered his heavy bag into the hole with a rope and then climbed down after it. The creature started growling as soon as Shuichi made contact with the floor, but he tried his best to ignore it. He pulled out a small lamp powered by batteries and a lightbulb he once used on camping trips when he was younger. He set it on the floor so it lit up the entire room. The view was dismal, but he needed to be able to see the creature in full light. First thing's first, he threw a short rope with a baseball tied to the end of it into each metal bowl and dragged them over. After filling one with water and the other with Pokémon food, he pushed them back into the creature's reach with the board that broke and caused him to fall his first time here. This marked his fourth time coming here and he was already seeing an improvement in the creature’s attitude. It would still glare hatefully at him, but now its gaze would flicker into an expression that clearly said “is this guy serious?”. 

He had gone to the store and bought some cheap pillows and a thick comforter. He had been forced to leave the items and return the next day since the creature would do nothing but glare at him while he was there. Once he returned, the creature had managed to drag the pillows and blanket over and had created a nest. It had full range of motion across the wall it was chained to and to the center of the room. It was using one corner as a toilet and Shuichi would have loved to clean it, but it was obviously within the creature’s reach. He kept the hatch door open for the duration of every visit to try and air the cell out to compensate.

“I brought something else today.” He often talked to the creature, hoping the one-sided conversations would help it relax in his presence. “I’m going to visit a friend of mine later today. He works at the museum and knows all about mythology and folklore. I’m going to ask him about some legends from Alola and something called Beast Killer. Also, I need to return a book he lent me.”

He pulled the book out from his bag and opened it. “These are some pictures of mosaic art murals from the Sinnoh Region. Do you know what mosaics are? They’re made of small pieces of rock or glass and arranged into pictures. Kind of like you. You’re made of small pieces of other Pokémon… I think?” The creature sighed and turned its head away. 

“You’re bored of me, aren’t you? You’d rather be somewhere else? It’s okay, I don’t always have the most interesting topics to discuss.” He turned a couple pages of the book until he came upon a picture of a strange white Pokémon. “Huh, ‘Arceus?’ This thing kind of looks like you. It has a long crest on its head and that weird wheel-thing on its midsection looks like your collar. Are you an Arceus?”

Lumine and Scout were listlessly rolling around on the concrete. After the initial scare, the two were cautious of the creature but weren’t constantly on guard, especially since Shuichi always made sure to sit outside of the creature’s range. He tried to keep them in their Pokéballs, but once they figured out he was coming here, they refused to stay in lest the creature attack again.

“You know, I’m getting tired of referring to you as what you are, and what you are— I don’t know. How about Chimera? Do you know what that is? It’s a mythical creature made up of different parts of other animals. You look like a chimera.” The creature growled, but it was more in frustration than hostility. “Alright, fine. How about Arceus? You sort of resemble it. Although… Kiyo might kill me if I name you that. Because… you know, that’s a folklore story and you aren’t an Arceus. He’s really sensitive about that kind of stuff. How about Puzzle? Like a jigsaw puzzle? Or Cyborg? Miu would call you a cyborg. Wait… do you have robot parts? That helmet isn’t your head.” The creature sighed and idly scratched at the floor.

“How about Mosaic? It sounds pretty.” The creature turned its gaze back to him. “Alright, Mosaic it is. At least until I figure out what you are.” He put the book and the plastic lantern back into his bag and slowly stood so the creature didn’t lunge at him again.

“We have to leave now. We’ll be back tomorrow, but it’ll be in the afternoon because I have to work.” He picked up Scout and balanced the Eevee on his head while Lumine clung to Shuichi’s bag. “See you tomorrow, Mosaic.” He struggled up the steep wooden steps, minding the missing board. He reluctantly shut the hatch door and covered the seams in dust. He couldn’t risk the creature breaking out and wreaking havoc in the city.

“Okay,” he exhaled loudly. He was becoming more confident each time he came to spend time with the creature, specifically because its attitude toward him was improving. Boredom was better than hostility.

“Next stop, the museum,” he announced to Lumine and Scout.

While attending high school, Korekiyo Shinguji was certainly one of his more _interesting_ classmates. He was tall, thin, wore a face mask all the time, and spoke in a calm, eerie voice. Overall, he was rather creepy, but was generally harmless. He would talk endlessly about his interests and sometimes had to be reminded to tone down his enthusiasm. He knew practically everything there was to know about mythology and folklore, so his job as a museum curator was perfect. He had the prior knowledge for the job with the added benefit of having access to all sorts of books, documents, and artifacts. That’s why Shuichi felt he was the best option for finding information about Beast Killer, and possibly about the legend Angie said was hidden from the people of Alola. One train ride later, he found himself walking down one of the more well-maintained sidewalks of Litra City towards the immense, extravagant building that was his destination. But before he could begin climbing the intimidating flight of stairs, he spied someone he wasn’t expecting to see, but also wasn’t surprised to see given where he was.

“Kirumi!” he called out to her and waved.

The elegant young woman looked surprised to see him but remembered her manners and greeted him. She was carrying a parcel that reminded Shuichi of Gonta’s bug box in that it was a solid box with a shoulder strap. She quickened her pace and met Shuichi at the foot of the steps.

“Hello Shuichi, what brings you here today?”

“I have a few folklore questions, and who better to ask than Korekiyo?”

“That is true,” she agreed.

“Why are you here?”

“I am having lunch with Kiyo,” she gestured to her parcel. “I prepared two meals at the restaurant and brought them here in the insulation bag.”

Shuichi couldn’t help but chuckle. “Are all of his meals going to be from the restaurant today? We’re having his birthday dinner there tonight.”

“It’s my boyfriend’s birthday and we’re both working most of the day. I’m going to share what time I can with him,” she replied firmly.

“Okay,” he relented. 

Kirumi’s parents owned several high-end fancy restaurants in the city. She had worked as a hostess at one of the restaurants for most of high school, and now that she was of age, they were training her to take over one of the restaurants in the hopes that they would eventually pass ownership of their legacy to her. She had started preparing for Korekiyo’s birthday months ago, ensuring one of the private rooms would be reserved for all their attendees and that patrons were alerted of the private party. Given how expensive the restaurant usually was, Shuichi was excited to be able to eat there at the discounted price Kirumi negotiated with her parents. Not that it was too difficult to negotiate since they both liked Kiyo.

They climbed the steps together, idly chatting with one another. Shuichi returned Lumine and Scout to their Pokéballs, since Pokémon weren’t allowed in the museum except for special circumstances, and then held the door open for Kirumi. The museum was one of the largest in the entire region with vast collections of artifacts from all other regions and lands of the world. Shuichi couldn’t help but marvel at the atrium that served as foyer. The ceiling was conical with a skylight at the top, with the surrounding wall of the cone adorned with an elaborate mural of legendary Pokémon. The museum was crowded with patrons and what looked like a couple different field trips. The two of them weaved through the crowds into the arched hallway that led to the right wing. In the hall was a set of double doors with signs signifying only employees could enter. They slipped through anyway and found themselves in a corridor that resembled a typical hallway one would find in an office building, with private offices branching from the main hall. 

“Hello?” Shuichi rapped his knuckles on the shut door with Kiyo’s name placard. “Kiyo, are you there?” They waited patiently but their friend didn’t answer.

“He must be down in Storage and Restoration,” Kirumi suggested. They followed the corridor to the very end and faced a large metal door. It had a keycard lock for employees only, so Shuichi was shocked when Kirumi pulled a keycard from her pocket and slid it through.

“Does the museum director know you have that?” he asked.

“No,” she responded. “But I understand your concern. Kiyo brings me down here sometimes and shows me the new artifacts before they’re put into exhibits.”

They descended a flight of stairs that led to the vast basement of the museum. Brick walls and pillars and vaulted ceilings gave the basement an archaic impression. There were paintings and statues covered in protective layers dotting the open space and a couple tables of supplies for maintaining and restoring the artwork. It almost reminded Shuichi of Angie’s loft.

“Hello?” Kiyo emerged from one of the far corners. He was wearing an apron and nylon gloves and had his long hair tied back into a ponytail. “Oh, Kirumi, is it noon already?”

“You know I am always punctual, Kiyo. I always arrive at noon because I know you get lost in your work down here and forget to eat.” She approached him and rested her cheek against his as an affectionate greeting. Since Kiyo always wore a mask covering the bottom half of his face, he and Kirumi didn’t kiss very often.

“Shuichi,” Kiyo spoke once he noticed the other figure in the basement, “are you joining us as well?”

“No, I already had lunch. I had a couple questions that I felt only you could answer, but I can wait until you’re done eating.” The basement reeked of paint and chemicals despite the ventilation, so the three ascended back upstairs to Kiyo’s office.

“Would you prefer if I walked around the museum while you two eat?” Shuichi asked as Kirumi removed two covered plates from the insulation bag. “I know Kirumi intended for this time to be just you two.”

“If you wouldn’t mind, that would be lovely,” said Kirumi.

Shuichi hadn’t taken a proper tour of the museum since the beginning of high school. He had been here at random points to talk with Kiyo, and to help collect evidence for a couple random cases with his uncle. Since there was no better place to start than the entrance, he returned to the atrium and visited the front help-desk for a map. He decided to walk the ground floor in a loop and see if Kirumi and Kiyo were finished before going upstairs. On the ground floor, he would get to see two complete exhibition halls, one for Johto and one for Sinnoh, and a greenhouse. He was admiring a painting depicting the burning of Brass Tower when he suddenly felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Hey mister?” a little boy wearing an elementary school uniform was trying to get his attention, “aren’t you the detective who saved those Pokémon?”

“Um—uh, yes I am,” he stammered. He hadn’t expected to get recognized, especially since his bust was nearly two weeks ago and had faded into more current news stories. 

“Wow!” the boy’s eyes seemed to sparkle, and he grabbed Shuichi by the hand, unceremoniously dragging him over to the rest of his school group. “It’s the detective man!”

“Kenji! That’s very rude!” the chaperone scolded. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized to Shuichi.

“It’s okay,” Shuichi assured her, but before anything else could be said between the two adults, he found himself swamped by the entire group of children.

“Did you tackle them to the ground and handcuff them like on TV?”

“How many Pokémon did they steal?”

“Did they go to jail?

“Did they try to fight you?”

Feeling overwhelmed, Shuichi attempted to escape the throng but found he couldn’t.

“U-um… detectives aren’t always like what you see on TV,” he explained. “I didn’t tackle them, my…um… Pokémon did. One of them did try to hurt me, but my Mightyena bit him. I don’t have an exact number for how many were stolen, and yes, they did go to jail.” The children apparently hadn’t heard the beginning sentence of his explanation. They were all still fantasizing about the interesting and exciting life of a detective-in-training.

“Are you like Detective Kirigiri?” one of the little girls asked him.

Shuichi paled when he heard the name of his role model and mumbled, “No, not really.”

He quickly backtracked when he saw the girl’s expression crumble. “No one can be like Detective Kirigiri because she’s one of a kind. You can only be yourself.”

That answer appeared to be satisfying enough. The chaperone managed to round the children together and get them moving again, waving goodbye to Shuichi. _If I had Lumine and Scout out of their Pokéballs, those children would have never left._

There was a side hall in the exhibition that was drawing a lot of attention. Curious, Shuichi followed the crowd into the side hall to see it was designed to look like stone ruins. There were strange images on the wall that resembled writing. People were gathered in small groups and discussing the images, so Shuichi made his way to a descriptive placard.

**This hall is a recreation of relics from the Ruins of Alph in the Johto Region. The images you see are an ancient Pokémon called Unown. As you can see, they resemble letters of the Latin alphabet and even spell out messages. Try and see if you can read them. Unown are said to live in their own dimension and rarely venture into our own world. When they do, they can be found in locations that host elevated amounts of spiritual energy, such as the Ruins of Alpha in Johto and the Solaceon Ruins of Sinnoh.**

_These things are Pokémon?_ The boundary rope was only about a foot away from the display, so Shuichi stepped close and investigated the carvings.

_“Our…clan...engraved words…in this place.” Is the clan a human clan or a Pokémon clan? An Unown clan?_ He moved down to another portion that wasn’t too crowded. _“We humans need to walk with them. We leave here for the sake of them.”_

“Excuse me?” Shuichi drew the attention of the exhibit attendant. “What exactly were the Ruins of Alph?”

“The Ruins still exist, young man,” said the attendant. “They’re not gone.”

“No, I mean what were they originally? A temple?”

“There is evidence the ruins were once an ancient settlement, similar to a town.”

“What’s the meaning of this message about humans leaving for the sake of ‘them?’”

“As you may have read on the placard, Unown congregate in areas of high spiritual energy when they cross into our world. They’re said to have the ability to read minds and are sensitive creatures. It is believed the people of Alph lived in harmony with the Unown for a long time, enough to incorporate them as substitutes for their writing system. But something happened that forced the people to leave the ruins to the Unown. We’ve interpreted the meaning of that particular message to mean the people sympathized with the Unown and chose to leave them the ruins to give them sanctuary.”

“Thank you.” Shuichi turned back to the display, trying to read more of the messages. _Pokémon from other dimensions? Would they still be considered Pokémon is they didn’t come from our world? Wouldn’t they be called something else?_

Shuichi backed away from the display only to almost run into a figure that was standing right behind him. He fumbled for his footing before realizing he almost tripped over Kiyo’s Xatu. The strange bird Pokémon waited patiently for him to sort himself out before turning and marching away, implying Shuichi was to follow. Xatu led him back to the offices, indicating that Kirumi and Kiyo were done with their lunch and he was safe to return. 

_Why didn’t they just text me?_ Then again, Kiyo liked to get lost in the past. In fact, Shuichi couldn’t recall ever seeing him use his cell phone for anything other than making and taking calls. Did Kiyo know how to text message? Kirumi did, he was sure of that. By the time he had returned to Kiyo’s office, Kirumi had already left.

“Kirumi was on a tight schedule and had to leave promptly,” Kiyo explained as he readjusted his desk space back to its immaculate appearance. “She apologizes for not bidding farewell but looks forward to dinner tonight.”

“That’s okay, I know she’s busy. Also, I thought Pokémon weren’t allowed in the museum?” said Shuichi, gesturing to Xatu’s retreating form.

“They made an exception for Xatu. He helps guide tours.”

“Where are the rest of your Pokémon?”

“Litwick and Honedge are in their Pokéballs. Banette might be as well, but I can never be sure.” Kiyo settled himself back in his chair, facing Shuichi in a professional manner. “Alright Shuichi, what would you like to know? I was under the impression you came seeking information, and since you came to me, I’m suspecting it has something to do with mythology?” 

“Have you ever heard of a story or legend about something called ‘Beast Killer?’”

Kiyo’s head jerked back in shock. “What an intense name. Where did you hear such a title?”

“One of the thieves I caught two weeks ago mentioned it. They also said the only place the Pokémon would be safe was in Alola. ‘The beast-killer has been born’ or something like that.”

Kiyo hummed to himself in thought for a few moments before standing up and taking a large binder off one of his shelves. He moved his computer keyboard to the side and opened the binder on his desk. It was full of photographs of tapestries and murals in plastic sleeves. He flipped the sleeves until he came across the one he was looking for and turned it so Shuichi could look.

“This tapestry depicts the Weather Trio: Pokémon who embody the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere.” He pointed to the bottom of the tapestry which was a dark blue color and portrayed a design of a large creature somewhat resembling Wailord. “This is Kyogre, who was believed to have been formed in the deep pressures of the ocean’s trenches.”

He moved to the middle of tapestry which displayed land mass and a red creature that, in Shuichi’s eyes, looked like a Tyranitar. “This is Groudon, believed to have been formed in the hot magma of the Earth’s core.”

Finally, he moved to the top of the tapestry which depicted clouds and stars with what looked like a flying Serperior-looking creature. “This is Rayquaza, believed to have been formed of particles and radiation in the upper atmosphere. Legend has it, in the primal age, Kyogre and Groudon battled one another over the overflowing natural energy of the world. Rayquaza descended from the heavens and stopped them. Thus, Rayquaza is known as the ‘trio master,’ the member of a trio who has dominion over the others.”

Kiyo flipped the pages to a picture of a mural that depicted a blue and black Pokémon with horns, a red and black flying Pokémon, and green and black snake-like Pokémon. “This is the Aura trio: Xerneas is life, Yveltal is destruction, and Zygarde is order. The name you seek, ‘Beast Killer,’ reminds me of two of these legendary trios. Yveltal will absorb all surrounding life energy and then sleep for a thousand years. In that sense, it is a killer. But I have never heard of it being known as Beast Killer.”

He turned the pages to a picture of a mural depicting three four-legged Pokémon and a large bird in the sky above them. “These three,” he gestured to the three Pokémon near the front of the picture, “are known as the Legendary Beasts: Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. Their master is Ho-oh,” he indicated the large bird.

“I thought the trio master belonged in the trio?” Shuichi asked.

“Not always. Beast Killer made me think of one who could be related to the Legendary Beasts; however, Ho-oh did not kill them. The Legendary Beasts were Pokémon who perished in the burning of Brass Tower. Ho-oh reincarnated them and gave them new life; thus, Ho-oh couldn’t be Beast Killer. And it was lightning that set the Brass Tower fire, so, technically, lighting is a beast-killer, but I don’t think that’s what you’re searching for.”

“Are there any other Pokémon you can think of?”

Kiyo leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap. “The use of ‘beast’ to describe or title a Pokémon is more of a colloquial choice based on the region and the time period. You will find that many Pokémon— legendary, mythical, or not—can be described as a beast.”

“Angie told me about two of them: one that devours the sun and one that calls the moon.”

“Ah,” Kiyo flipped through the sleeves again and stopped at two separate pictures in an art-style that Shuichi was unfamiliar with. “She speaks of Solgaleo and Lunala: the Beasts of Light.” The pictures looked like they were stone carvings and were very old indeed. “Solgaleo and Lunala are said to be the emissaries of the sun and moon, respectively. They came to our world and shaped the unformed light into these two distinct celestial bodies so that there would always be light in night and day. But, like I said, the use of ‘beast’ comes down to personal preference. Neither of these sound like your Beast Killer.”

Shuichi sighed and slumped into his chair, rubbing his temples to relieve a forming headache. Kiyo procured a bottle of pills and a sealed water bottle from seemingly nowhere and handed both to him. “In my professional opinion, Beast Killer may be a modern-day legend unfolding before us. Almost all stories of the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon took place a long time ago. If new legends are to join the old, then the current era would be when those legends take place.”

“Kiyo, do you believe in all these stories? Do you believe there’s a Pokémon out there who can absorb all life force and kill thousands of living beings in an instant? Or that the light of our world was unformed until Solgaleo and Lunala appeared to shape it into the sun and moon?”

“Anything is possible,” Kiyo subtly shrugged. “Pokémon are such an ingrained part of our lives and culture. Even the common ones who can be found in many places are capable of great things. Who’s to say that one capable of immense power doesn’t exist somewhere? There’s a legend that a Pokémon shaped the entire universe: The Original One: Arceus.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” Shuichi reached into his bag and pulled out the book, returning it to Kiyo. “Thanks for lending it to me.”

Kiyo flipped through the pages of the book until he came to the same picture that Shuichi had shown to Mosaic a few hours earlier. “In the void of nothingness, an egg appeared. That egg hatched into Arceus, who shaped the universe, the stars, and the planets. It created time and space, and Pokémon who embody those concepts as well: Dialga embodies time, Palkia embodies space, and Giratina embodies antimatter. These three are known as the Creation Trio, with Arceus as their master. However, Arceus is also the master of another trio: the Lake Guardians. Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf represent knowledge, emotion, and willpower. Arceus created them to calm Dialga and Palkia if they ever become enraged. The Lake Guardians are also believed to be the ones who imbued humans with the gifts of knowledge, emotion, and willpower.”

“And after Arceus created the universe, did it just disappear?” asked Shuichi.

“There are varying stories of it still existing and methods of summoning it,” Kiyo explained. “There is one thing that supports the existence of Arceus. There are artifacts that have been located throughout regions across the world, but are mostly concentrated in Sinnoh, where the legend of Arceus is said to have originated. These artifacts are known as the elemental plates. Their purpose is to enhance the power of Pokémon based on their corresponding elemental type. Why their existence supports the existence Arceus is because these plates have been found all over the world, but they are all similar in design and function, and all have the same antiquity, being far older than the regions and most of their legends. These plates existed back when ancient tribes of humans were still relatively isolated from one another. So, if humans couldn’t have created and placed the plates all over the world at the time of the plates’ predicted age, then how were they distributed?”

“What’s so special about Arceus and these plates?”

“Legend says that Arceus feeds off the energy of the plates and can change its elemental type depending on which plate it comes into contact with.”

“The plates don’t do this to other Pokémon?” Shuichi inquired.

“No, they merely enhance their power. Similar, in a way, to Z-Crystals.”

“Z-Crystals?”

“Z-Crystals are artifacts that are solely found on the Alolan Islands. When given to a Pokémon, a Z-Crystal boosts their energy and allows them to unleash an attack of pure elemental energy. The plates only increase the power of an attack, but Z-Crystals gift the user with immense power to perform a Z-Move of the same element.”

“Speaking of Alola, Angie also told me something very interesting. She said there’s a lot of stories about Solgaleo and Lunala, but her grandmother once told her a story about a third being. It was called the Pillager of Light and she isn’t even sure if it was a Pokémon. Angie said the existence of this story was suppressed and that very few people know about it. She only knows about it because her grandmother found some old documents hidden in a library on one of the islands. If the events of the story supposedly took place around the same time as the other stories, then why was it forgotten?”

“Stories and legends can be passed down in various ways: written word, artwork, symbols, and word-of-mouth. Depending on the age of the legend and the culture telling it, each one of the methods I just mentioned has the possibility of being lost or misconstrued because of the effects of time. The stories about the Beasts of Light have a large impact on the cultures of Alola, but, perhaps, the story of the Pillager of Light was not very popular at its inception. There doesn’t have to be some large mystery about why the people of Alola aren’t familiar with it. It could simply be it fell out of common knowledge due to lack of interest. I would have to hear the story and the circumstances around its rediscovery to properly determine if it has any significance to the lore of Solgaleo and Lunala.”

Shuichi nodded along as he struggled to comprehend the information dump Kiyo had just unloaded on him. It was amazing Kiyo could memorize all of this; he probably knew every legend and story behind every mural and artifact in the museum and could recite them off the top of his head. Kiyo continued to prattle on, so Shuichi let his mind wander back to Mosaic, trapped underground by traffickers. Where had he come from? Why was he down there?

_When did I start referring to him as a “him?”_

“Hey Kiyo,” Shuichi cut through the curator’s chattering. “What do you know about artificial Pokémon?” Mosaic did not look natural, and in this modern technological society, the ability to create artificial Pokémon was more prevalent if the Porygon line was any indication.

“Contrary to modern belief, artificial Pokémon have existed for a very long time," said Kiyo. “I believe the oldest examples of artificial Pokémon that can be pinpointed in human history are Baltoy, Claydol, Golett, and Golurk. The two evolutionary lines originate in different regions, but their emergence in history occur at relatively the same time, so it is difficult to determine exactly which came first. Both lines are the result of clay figures being brought to life and were used to protect temples and villages. Banette is believed to be the result of a spirit inhabiting a doll that was thrown away.”

 _I could see that_ , Shuichi thought, glancing around to see if Kiyo’s Banette would materialize out the walls.

“In more recent times,” Kiyo continued, “Voltorb and Electrode are stated to have originated from an energy pulse in a Pokéball factory. Castform is a Pokémon from Hoenn that was created by the Weather Institute to predict the weather. The Porygon line is created from computer data. Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with the more modern artificial Pokémon. You would be better off asking Miu about those.”

“How did the Baltoy and Golett lines come to life?”

“The world is full of energy. I mentioned before that Groudon and Kyogre battled over the world’s natural energy in the primal age. It is believed the two lines were simply clay figures that were imbued with energy and came to life. There have been no discoveries of possible instructions for how this was done by ancient humans. Do you have any other questions?”

“I guess not.” Shuichi stood up and stretched his shoulders, bending down to pick up his bag. “Thanks for the information, Kiyo.”

“My pleasure,” Kiyo stood up from his desk and shook Shuichi’s hand. “I’ll see you at the restaurant tonight?”

“Of course. See you then.” Shuichi hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and walked out, taking care to be as quietly as he could so he wouldn’t disturb any of the other curators or workers who could be in their offices.

 _I learned a lot today, but I feel like none of it helped_. He still didn’t know who Beast Killer was, the significance of the demon was still indefinite, and Mosaic’s very existence was still a mystery. _He looks like he could be an artificial Pokémon, but artificial Pokémon were either created accidentally or with a purpose. He may seem mismatched, but nothing about his design looks accidental. Someone created him, and they had a reason to create him. But what could it be?_

*

“Y’know, I’m going to need the mirror at some point.” Shuichi stood in the doorway of his bathroom, frowning at Kaede and Rantaro.

“But there’s such good lighting in here,” Rantaro argued without looking up from his work, continuing to apply makeup to Kaede’s face with precision. 

“Shuichi, you don’t want me to go into that restaurant with a bad makeup job, right?” Kaede would have visibly pouted to go along with her “woe-is-me” tone, but she was struggling to keep a neutral expression for Rantaro. “I’ll be judged and picked apart.”

“Who’s going to judge you?” Shuichi sighed. 

“Everyone,” said Rantaro. “Everyone who regularly eats at the fancy, expensive restaurants because they have nothing better going on in their lives and pass the time scrutinizing every miniscule detail.”

“Wow,” Shuichi balked, “that sounded like you have a bone to pick with anyone who eats at a fancy restaurant.”

“Not anyone in particular, but anyone who gets into the mindset that they’re better than everyone else just because they’re rich. That’s why I’m not giving them a chance to be critical about any of us. Believe me, I’ve grown up learning how to deal with these kinds of people. You would not believe the amount of people who run to my father complaining about my piercings whenever I have to attend some fancy gala. Thankfully, he doesn’t care about how I choose to accessorize and basically tells them to screw off.”

“Then use my aunt and uncle’s bathroom,” Shuichi offered. “I need to fix my shirt, and once Kaito and Maki get here, it’ll be even more crowded.”

“Is Maki going to let you do her makeup?” Kaede asked Rantaro.

“She spat acid at me last time I offered, but now that the day has finally arrived maybe she’ll be feeling the pressure and let me,” Rantaro couldn’t help but grin.

“What pressure?” said Shuichi. “Maki doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Remember that time during freshman year when our history teacher said it was inappropriate for her to write a report about the use of torture in modern-day espionage, so she turned in a paper analyzing the different types of medieval torture devices?

“I enjoyed that paper,” Rantaro laughed. “It was written out of spite.”

“She cares,” Kaede affirmed. “Remember her and Kaito’s first Valentine’s Day together when he gave her roses and she pretended she didn’t care but wouldn’t let go of the bouquet for the rest of the school period?”

“You know,” said Rantaro, “I often wonder what exactly keeps those two together, given their vastly different personalities and interests, and I always think back to that Valentine’s Day and realize ‘Oh yeah, it’s stuff like that.’”

“Kaito’s the one who gave her Togetic,” Kaede reminded them. “Trust me, she’ll want you to do her makeup.”

“I feel like we shouldn’t be trying to take advantage of Maki’s insecurities,” said Shuichi. Any further arguments were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. “Aunt Ayame, could you answer that please?” Shuichi called down the stairs. “I’m still trying to get my bathroom back.”

“It’s our bathroom now,” Kaede grinned. “Whoops, sorry Rantaro, forgot to stay neutral.”

“That’s okay, I’m almost done.”

“Hey there, we’re invading!” Kaito climbed the stairs lugging a large duffel bag behind him. He swung the bag to the floor of Shuichi’s room, its presence drawing Lumine and Scout’s curiosity. Both jumped off Shuichi’s bed and tried to dig into the bag.

“You’re not dressed!?” Shuichi noticed. “Why aren’t you wearing your clothes for tonight?”

“I needed the opinions of a fashionisto.” 

“What’s a fashionisto?”

“Rantaro is. He’s a male fashionista, so he’s a fashionisto.”

“I’m cool with that,” said Rantaro.

“Thank goodness _you’re_ dressed,” Shuichi said once he saw Maki ascend the staircase. She was wearing a black and red dress and had her long hair styled into a bun with a cascading braid. She already had her makeup done, so Shuichi was hoping she was satisfied with how she looked.

“Of course, I’m dressed, I had this picked out days ago.”

“Aw!” Kaede cheered. “You’re excited for the dinner.”

Maki chose to ignore her comment, instead taking a seat at Shuichi’s desk and watching Kaito sort through all the clothes he had stuffed into his bag. A shirt was flung onto Scout, who ran around blindly and slammed into the dresser. 

“Sorry Scout,” Kaito pulled the shirt off the Eevee’s prone form. 

“Okay, I’m ready to design your outfit,” Rantaro announced. “And Shuichi, your bathroom’s open.”

Maybe he fussed too much over his shirt, and what cufflinks to use, and what cologne to wear, and methods of how to get that one strand of hair to lie flat, and _maybe_ he was stressing out too much about this, but he wanted to make a good impression on… who exactly? _I think I need to calm down. Kirumi’s family owns the restaurant, Rantaro said not to let the patrons intimidate me, we’re just going to have dinner for Kiyo’s birthday. It’s not like Kirumi and Kiyo will judge me. Kiyo wears an apron, rubber gloves, and chemical fluids all day long anyway._

Shuichi returned to the sight of Kaito wearing an open dress shirt with dress pants while Rantaro held up different colored ties to his chest and mumbled softly to himself. Kaede had picked up one of the discarded ties and was using it as a toy for Scout to chase and bat at. Maki was silently watching Kaito get put together.

“Are you suuuure you don’t want Rantaro to do your makeup?” said Kaede.

“Drop it,” Maki curtly replied. “I look fine.”

“Yes, you do,” Shuichi agreed.

“How do you not know how to tie a tie?!” Rantaro scolded, twisting and knotting the strip of cloth around Kaito’s neck with expert-level precision.

“It’s never been an issue before!” Kaito argued back. “My grandfather always did it for me.”

“One day, I’m gonna give you a crash course for all of this kind of stuff. How to tie a tie, how to select proper shoes, how to wear _non-clashing_ colors.” With Rantaro’s expertise, they managed to assemble a proper outfit for Kaito to wear to the restaurant. At least now they didn’t look like a ragtag bunch of misfits.

“How are Spooky and Comet settling in?” Shuichi asked.

“Spooky’s great,” Kaede replied with enthusiasm. “She’s got an ear for music and she lets me decorate her disguise.”

“Comet likes my cosmic light display. I think it reminds him of home,” said Kaito.

“Did you ever find out what color his core is?” asked Maki.

“No, but I did do some research and Minior tend to lose their shells during battle and gather the materials to reform the shell afterward. Since I haven’t battled Comet, his shell hasn’t fallen off. Besides, I’m worried it’ll hurt.”

“Are you kids ready?” Shuichi’s Aunt Ayame called from downstairs.

“What kids? We’re all adults,” Maki muttered.

“Yes, Aunt Ayame, we’re ready to leave,” Shuichi called back.

Uncle Jiro was driving them to the restaurant so they wouldn’t have to take the train. Kiyo apparently had something to show them at the museum afterward, so Uncle Jiro had to wait for the phone call to pick them up. But Shuichi was dreading one thing: Aunt Ayame’s shutterbug tendencies. He was incredibly thankful that he didn’t come to live with his aunt and uncle as a baby because the house would be full of embarrassing baby pictures. Kaede would have sniffed them out the second she came over to hang out for the first time. There was no doubt in Shuichi’s mind Aunt Ayame wanted pictures of the five of them in their clothes.

“Hey,” Uncle Jiro peeked over the banister, “I’ll distract your aunt while you guys sneak out the back.”

“Thanks,” Shuichi whispered back. They waited until there were two voices talking downstairs before grabbing their things and sneaking down the steps. Kaede stumbled a few times attempting to creep in high heels, falling against Shuichi’s back and tipping him as well. They nearly reached the back door when Ayame jumped out of nowhere with her camera.

“Caught you!” she shouted.

“Uncle Jiro!” Shuichi yelled accusingly. “You said you would distract her!”

“I’m a weak-willed man, Shuichi,” said Jiro. “Besides, it’s your fault for believing me.”

The five of them were subjected to multiple photos, not that Kaede or Rantaro cared much. Maki, however, made it perfectly clear she was done after the first three photos. Aunt Ayame wasn’t one to take anyone’s crap, but neither was Maki. It was battle of iron wills that eventually petered out when Shuichi inched closer and closer to the back door and finally took a chance to make a break for it. The others followed at a more leisurely pace, Kaito barely holding back laughter from Maki’s display of stalwartness in the face of a flashing camera. Uncle Jiro seemed satisfied with the small display of entertainment if the smirk on his face while he climbed into the driver’s seat was any indication. They loaded their bags and belongings into the trunk and then began the arduous task of figuring out how they were all going to fit into the car. Shuichi ended up taking the passenger seat while the other four squeezed into the back, Maki practically sitting on Kaito’s lap, not that either of them minded (although she would never admit it). 

Despite it being Uncle Jiro’s car, Kaede somehow took control of the radio and switched the station to some pop-rock song she and Rantaro could sing to. Apparently, Spooky liked pop music, specifically that of the pop idol and Pokémon coordinator Sayaka Maizono. Kaede showed her some music videos and the Mimikyu happily attempted to dance along as best she could. After that incident, Kaede called Tsumugi about requesting some outfits. Kaede was a professional pianist, but she had always admired Pokémon coordinators, specifically Himiko, who, despite her aversion towards most things that she deemed “too bothersome,” was a great coordinator and performer in her own right. Since Kaede didn’t have any experience as a coordinator but Spooky showed a passion for performing, Shuichi wondered if Kaede was going to attempt a contest or ask Himiko to incorporate Spooky into her act.

Shuichi tried to keep Rantaro’s advice in mind as Uncle Jiro dropped them off in front of the restaurant, but he couldn’t help but wilt under the judgmental stares of the men and women in fancy suits and jewelry so expensive even Hajime and Nagito’s payment couldn’t have bought a single gem. Maki walked into the building with her head held high while Kaito happily walked beside her, chatting away and completely oblivious to the other patrons. Or maybe he did notice and was deliberately ignoring them. Thankfully, the party was in one of the private rooms, so he wouldn’t have to endure the stares for the entire dinner. Kirumi met them at the entrance and guided them to the room, leaving them to find their seats so she could return to the entrance to greet the rest of the guests as they arrived.

“We’re assigned seats?” said Kaede, picking up one of the name cards. “What is this? High school?”

“That was Kirumi’s idea,” said Kiyo, who was leaning on the backrest of the chair at the head of the table. “And I have a feeling that if you forego the seating arrangement and sit where you like, she will pick you up, chair and all, and put you where she assigned you.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Kaede put the name card back and began seeking out her assigned seat. 

Shuichi took a moment to see who was already here before finding his seat. He could see Ryoma, Tsumugi, and Angie were in their seats. The former two were having a conversation while Angie was stacking her silverware and glass into some abstract sculpture.

“Hey Angie,” he approached her and temporarily sat in the seat next to the artist, “can I ask you something?”

“Yes-yes?” she replied, perfectly balancing her salad fork on the rim of her glass before facing him.

“The lore of Alola means a lot to you, right?”

“Of course! The people of Alola live in harmony with the spirits and guardians of the islands. I was blessed at a young age by the Guardian deity of Akala Island: Tapu Lele. My mother foretold I was to be a high priest of the Tapu, but I chose to spread the lore of Alola throughout the world using my art.”

“Then, why did you disregard the story about the Pillager of Light?”

Angie looked thoughtful as she attempted to origami-fold her cloth napkin. “I suppose… it was because nobody knew about it. If it were important, why was it forgotten? A being appeared that stole the light and then Solgaleo and Lunala fought to get it back, that sounds like an event that should be celebrated. But no one remembers it, no one celebrates it. That’s why I think it didn’t happen.”

Shuichi found himself agreeing with Angie’s reasoning. When she had disregarded the story, he had been shocked, especially considering her spirituality and relationship with the mythology of her home region. But listening to her explain why she ignored the existence of story, things started making more sense. Alola had several festivals and ceremonies surrounding the old stories, so if there was no mention of the Pillager of Light anywhere else other than the documents found in the one library, then the stacking evidence pointed to the possibility that the story never happened.

“’Sup bitches!?” Miu practically shrieked as she burst into the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Shuichi saw Kiyo flinch at her volume. Their class had certainly become rather tight-knit throughout high school, so while Kiyo and Miu weren’t very close, they still considered each other friends.

“Miu, you need to be quieter,” Keebo warned as he followed his sister. “This room isn’t sound-proof.”

“You wanna test if it is?” she asked Rantaro in a lecherous tone.

“Sure, stand still,” the latter replied, picking up his fork and advancing on her.

“Assault!” Miu squealed in fear, diving under the table.

“What’s going on!?” Tenko burst in and cast an accusatory glare around the room. 

“Nothing you need to get involved in,” Ryoma replied indifferently. 

Tenko didn’t look like she believed him, trying to provide a protective barrier between Himiko, who walked in behind her, and the rest of the room’s inhabitants. Honestly, Shuichi was surprised Tenko decided to come. She wasn’t exactly Kiyo’s biggest fan, constantly calling him out on his creepy tendencies. She only got worse when he and Kirumi started dating but was forced to back off after a thorough scolding from Kirumi. Then again, Kiyo was probably the sole reason Tenko managed to pass history, tutoring her despite her hostile behavior towards him. She did noticeably soften towards him afterward, but that still wasn’t saying much.

“Everyone, if you would please take your seats,” said Kirumi as she escorted Gonta, the last of the guests, into the private room. “You will find your menus already beside your plates. Angie, please disassemble that,” she gestured to the impromptu sculpture. “I will be happy to discuss possible options that you may be interested in ordering.”

“Kirumi,” Kiyo took her by the hand and led her to one of the seats beside his, “you’re not a hostess for this meal. You’re as much a patron tonight as the rest of us.” Kirumi looked like she wanted to argue and uphold the position she had been working for years but relented and sat down in her chair. “Everyone, I would like to welcome you to this celebratory dinner. Not only is this dinner to celebrate my birthday but there is an event occurring at the museum that I am pleased to tell you about.”

“Are you actually gonna tell us what the hell it is or are you gonna keep being cryptic about it?” Miu complained.

“I was not able to tell you because it was forbidden for me to do so,” Kiyo replied. “The museum will be officially announcing it tomorrow, so I have been approved to reveal it. The museum will be building a new exhibition. This exhibition will be of the Alola Region.”

“I knew it!” Miu shouted, making everyone flinch. “I knew it ‘cuz Angie kept going to the museum. She doesn’t go to your museum, she goes to the art museum.”

“Very astute observation,” but Miu apparently couldn’t detect the slight sarcasm in Kiyo’s tone. “Yes, the museum will be adding an exhibition wing dedicated to the Alola region. Angie is one of the contributing artists. After dinner, you are welcome to come with me to see the beginning stages.”

After his announcement, the party devolved into conversations between guests. Himiko was performing small feats of magic, making her silverware disappear, while Angie and Gonta clapped enthusiastically. Kaito and Ryoma were talking about the latter’s recent tennis tournament in Kalos. Rantaro was showing Kaede and Tsumugi pictures of his recent trip to the Kanto region. Miu was eagerly discussing one of her inventions with Tenko, who probably didn’t understand even half of the complicated jargon but listened attentively anyway.

“Hey Miu,” Shuichi interrupted, “could I discuss something with you?” Tenko shot him a glare, but Miu was always willing to discuss anything that allowed her to show off her intelligence or any of her inventions. 

“Sure thing, Shu-itchy. What’s up?”

“Earlier today, I had a conversation with Kiyo about artificial Pokémon. He was able to tell me about archaic artificial Pokémon, like Baltoy and Golett, but not much about modern ones. Could you tell me more about recent artificial Pokémon?”

“Artificial Pokémon are sort of a controversial topic,” Keebo spoke up.

“Keebs, he asked _me_!” Miu complained. “But he’s right,” she said to Shuichi. “Lot’a people saying how it’s immoral for humans to create Pokémon, which I don’t get ‘cuz some of 'em weren’t even on purpose. If you do it on purpose, then _maybe_ they have a case for immorality. But it’s kinda like people’s arguments about reviving extinct Pokémon. They’re saying these Pokémon didn’t exist before/don’t anymore so why are we creating them/bringing 'em back?”

“I guess that makes sense,” said Shuichi. “What are the most recent ones?”

“I think the Porygon line,” Miu answered. “They’re the least like regular Pokémon in my opinion. They don’t really evolve, they upgrade—and they’re made of computer data.”

“Even if the creation wasn’t intentional, you still have people complaining about the impact humans have that led to the creation,” said Keebo. “Trubbish and Garbodor are said to have been formed from trash and chemical run-off. So, while their creation wasn’t intentional, people are still angry it happened, and how it happened.”

“Why the interest?” Miu asked Shuichi.

“I uh… heard rumors about a new artificial Pokémon, so I wanted to know if you had heard anything or if they’re just rumors.”

“Nah, I haven’t heard anything recent.”

“Neither have I,” said Keebo.

_If Mosaic is an artificial Pokémon and there hasn’t been any recent public news about new artificial Pokémon, then someone created him in secret? That someone would have to have access to the necessary resources and would need the intelligence and familiarity of creating artificial Pokémon. Or… maybe he isn’t. Girafarig looks a little mismatched, but it’s a natural Pokémon. Maybe Mosaic is an undiscovered Pokémon that someone captured and is trying to credit themselves with his discovery. That might explain why the traffickers had him! They said they were paid. What if Mosaic’s discoverer paid them to transport him undetected?_

Shuichi shook himself out of his thought process. If he spent too much time thinking about these kinds of things, he was going to burn himself out. It was best to take a mental break and enjoy the party. Once their food orders had been made, it was agreed Kiyo would open his presents to pass the time. Shuichi had already discussed his gift with Kirumi and she had reminded him that for the stone to work, it needed a counterpart. That became her gift.

“Open mine!” Miu demanded, trying to shove her rather large gift in Kiyo’s face, but it was grabbed by Kirumi who set it on the floor.

“Given your track record, I feel it is best we open that in a more private place,” said Kirumi, giving the inventor a sharp glare.

“A wise decision,” Keebo mumbled softly while Miu pouted in her seat. “Here Kiyo, this one is from me.” Keebo passed a small box forward, the size and shape resembling Shuichi’s gift that, for a brief moment, he panicked with the belief that Keebo had gotten Kiyo the same gift. This was soon proven wrong when the gift revealed itself to be a pocket watch. “Kirumi said yours was crushed. I tried to fix it, but it was beyond saving. So, I got you a new one.”

“Thank you, Keebo,” Kiyo held the watch up and investigated the detailed designs surrounding the clock.

“Here’s mine,” Tenko said dismissively, throwing the small box across the table. Kirumi caught it one-handed and passed it to Kiyo, not even bothering to scold Tenko for not only throwing things indoors, but also throwing a gift intended for someone else. The gift was a small, rounded, glass-like stone about as big as Kiyo’s palm. There was a hole in the middle, which led Shuichi to believe it was meant to be strung on a necklace of some sort.

“What is it?” Kirumi asked.

“It’s an adder stone,” said Tenko. “It’s supposed to reveal hidden things or something. I don’t know too much about mythology.”

“You are correct,” said Kiyo, holding the stone to his eye. “Adder stones are believed to hold many magical properties, including curing poisons and preventing nightmares. They can be used to see hidden objects.”

“Magical properties?” Himiko was suddenly paying attention.

“Can I try?” asked Gonta, very eager to look through the stone. Kiyo obliged and passed it down the table. Gonta placed his fork in the center of his plate, then covered it with his napkin before looking through the stone.

“Not like that,” Kiyo gently corrected. “Adder stones are said to reveal traps and disguises of mischievous fairies.” Gonta looked a little disappointed that the stone wasn’t magically an x-ray machine, but happily looked around the room with it before giving it back. “I’m surprised you knew about adder stones, Tenko. You yourself said you weren’t very familiar with mythology.”

“I think you told me about it when you were tutoring me,” she explained. “I remember it because I thought the name was interesting.”

Shuichi tried not to get lost in the whirlwind of activity that followed. He attempted to keep track of who gifted what, but only a couple items and who gifted them stuck out in his memory. Angie had created a replica of the PokeFlute artifact that could be played like the real thing. Rantaro gifted Kiyo a small bag of ancient coins he had found on the coast of one of the Sevii Islands. Ryoma gifted him a hanging wall tapestry from his recent trip to Kalos. All the while, Shuichi became increasingly nervous, beginning to feel some regret for his gift choice.

_Maybe Kiyo would’ve preferred a Dusk Stone. He could’ve used it to evolve two of his Pokémon when they were ready. This can only be used on one Pokémon._

“We’ve decided to leave these two presents for last since they complement one another.” Kirumi’s voice shook him from his musings. “It’s best that you open Shuichi’s first.”

Wordlessly, Shuichi handed his present down the table, grimacing when Miu shook it to try and guess what it was. The box eventually made its way to Kiyo who somehow managed to unwrap the velvet box without ripping the paper. He gave the box itself a curious glance before lifting the top of it. He didn’t say anything for a long time, just staring at the item inside, which drove the more impatient guests crazy with anticipation.

“Is this what I think it is?” Kiyo whispered.

“What is it? What is it?” Kaede was jittery with excitement.

Kiyo reached into the box and pulled out the Banettite, holding it on his flat palm for everyone to see. Those who recognized the item as a Mega Stone gasped, while those who didn’t gave it curious stares. Wordlessly, Kirumi passed her gift to Kiyo, who delicately placed the Banettite back in its box to receive the new present. This one was revealed to be a Keystone. Kiyo held one item in each hand, looking back and forth between them like he couldn’t believe what he possessed. He finally managed to gain control of himself and set both stones down into their respective boxes.

“Mega Banette?” he whispered to himself.

“Kiyo?” Rantaro said hesitantly. “Are you okay? You’re looking a little pale.”

“To think, that I get to experience the bond that awakens the power of Mega Evolution! The first occurrence of Mega Evolution was humanity’s first contact with Rayquaza. Mega Evolution unlocks a Pokémon’s most powerful potential—!”

“Drink some water,” Kirumi urged him. Kiyo seemed to deflate a little and obey her order, pulling his face mask down enough to sip some water.

“I’m okay,” Kiyo assured them. “Just a little overwhelmed. Kirumi, Shuichi, thank you for these gifts. Although, I do not know when I will get the chance to use them since I do not engage in much battling.”

“Well, it’s with you when the time comes,” Shuichi offers.

*

The food might have been the best Shuichi had ever eaten in his life, and what made it even worse was that he knew he couldn’t afford it at the regular price. Maybe he could afford it for a while with his payment from Hajime and Nagito, but he wasn’t going to waste all that money on food. In the end, he was glad the party was in a private room. It kept him away from the judging stares of the regular patrons, but also kept everyone else isolated since they became rowdier as the night went on. The comradery they had in high school recemented itself the second they were all together again. By the time dinner was over, everyone decided to go with Kiyo to see the Alola wing under construction.

“There’s not much to see at the moment,” said Kiyo as he led them to where the wing would be located. There was a large partition wall set up with a small doorway for them to walk through. Once through, the other side resembled the other wings in that it was a long hallway with high vaulted ceilings; the only difference was there were no artifacts or artwork. 

“Here,” Angie gestured to one of the large blank walls, “I will paint a map of the Alolan Islands. And here!” she ran down to the very end of the wing and the blank wall there, "along with my protégé, we will paint the Coming of Solgaleo and Lunala.”

“Your protégé?” asked Kaede.

“Jataro Kemuri. I’m teaching him the beauty of spreading art throughout the world.”

The other wandered around, mystified by the emptiness of the wing when they were used to the rest of the museum being stuffed full of artifacts. Shuichi tried to envision what the result would look like. He had never been to Alola, and his only exposure to Alolan features were Angie’s art and pictures from either books or online. No doubt it would look vastly different from the other wings.

“’Kay, I’m bored,” Miu announced. “See ya, sluts!” She waved farewell, pulling Keebo after her, who offered a more conventional farewell.

“I should probably be going too,” Shuichi said after checking the time on his phone. “Which of you is coming back with me?”

“I can get a ride from here,” said Rantaro.

“I’m coming with you,” Kaede confirmed. 

“So are we,” Maki added, motioning towards Kaito.

“Okay, we’re going to head out now,” Shuichi proclaimed to the rest of them. After bidding goodbye, the four of them gathered on the front steps of the museum to wait for Uncle Jiro to arrive with his car. Kaede removed her heels and started walking around the landing in her bare feet. Kaito loosened his tie and sat on the stone steps, pointing out constellations in the starry night sky.

“Hey,” Maki pulled Shuichi to the side, “that kid is waving at you.” She nodded towards a short figure who was, indeed, waving to get Shuichi’s attention. “Do you know him?”

 _I’m not sure._ Shuichi focused his sight to try and decipher any features of the boy’s face that he could see in the dim lighting. _Wait…_ “Yes, I know him.” Shuichi left his friends near the entrance and walked over to the figure. “Phantom, are you following us?” he hissed.

Phantom grinned cheekily. “Noooo, just you.” He wasn’t wearing any sort of disguise; instead, he was dressed in comfortable street clothes with his dark hair pulled into a small ponytail.

“Why aren’t you wearing your outfit?” Shuichi asked. “Do you trust me enough to know your identity?”

Phantom let out a bark of laughter. “Hell no! This is a power move.”

“Power move?”

“Yeah, I’m showing you that you can know exactly what I look like but can’t do anything about it. You can’t turn me in 'cuz you’ve got nothing on me.”

“Why would I want to turn you in? I thought we were allies.”

“I’ve heard that one before,” Phantom waved his hand dismissively. “Anyway, my informants have informed me that a ship is coming in a few days from now. This is your chance to test out this alliance you’re proposing. Just remember, double-cross us and you will regret it.”

“I promise I won’t.”

“Your words mean nothing. Swear with your blood!” Phantom sneered, pulling out a small knife from his pocket. Shuichi jumped back and glanced back toward his friends, prepared to scream for their help if this situation took a dark turn. Phantom started chortling and put the knife away. “You’re so jumpy! Ohhhh, I’m gonna have so much fun with you!”

“I’m not sure if I like that.”

“Well, get used to it. This is your life from now on. I’ll call you when the ship is due, and we’ll work out a plan. See ya!” he cheerfully waved and started walking away.

“Wait!” Shuichi called out. “You don’t have my number!”

“Don’t worry about it!” With that, the Phantom Thief vanished into the dark. Shuichi exhaled slowly and climbed the steps to reunite with his friends.

“Who was that?” Kaede asked.

“Just one of the owners reunited with their stolen Pokémon,” Shuichi lied. “He wanted to thank me again.”

It was only a half-lie, technically. Phantom was one of the owners, since it was revealed that Jester the Zorua was his, but there was no sign of gratitude in that conversation. His response was apparently good enough for his friends, who didn’t pry any further. They talked about random subjects while waiting for Uncle Jiro to show up, but Shuichi couldn’t help but feel the gravity of the situation beginning to weigh down on him. He needed to think of a plan to coordinate with a group of vigilantes who obviously didn’t trust him.

But at least they were giving him a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make Miu and Keebo siblings in this story. Also note, while there are relationship tags, romance isn't a huge contributor to the main story. The couples act like couples, but that's not the main focus.


	4. Written in the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first dock raid of the traffickers’ ships reveals a mysterious but friendly Pokémon who takes a liking to Kaito. Meanwhile, a runaway boy tracking his stolen Pokémon offers some insight to the smuggling problem inland.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia, Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 4: Written in the Stars

Shuichi answered his cell phone to the sound of what might have been an air horn. He shouted and nearly threw his phone across his bedroom, tripping over Lumine, who had been napping on the floor, and falling on his bed. Thankfully, his aunt and uncle were used to his jumpy nature and didn’t come running at every yelp he made. Lumine had barely budged from his spot on the carpet, only giving Shuichi a cursory glance before shutting his eyes again. After collecting his bearings, Shuichi picked his phone up and risked putting it against his ear.

“H-hello?”

“Was that shriek you!?”

“That was not a shriek!” he argued back. “Who is this?”

“Your worst nightmare,” they growled back. “Just kidding! Nee-hee-hee, did I scare you?”

“You nearly blew my eardrum out.”

“Just wanted to keep you on your toes. You’re going to be working with DICE, so you need to be ready for anything.”

“Phantom? How did you get my number?”

“Don’t dwell on the details. Listen close: the ship will dock tomorrow night at around midnight. Or it should…”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked, digging a pen and notepad out of his desk.

“They’re very cautious and if anything seems even slightly off, they’ll hesitate to come to port. We’ve tried to vary where we disrupt their paths from further inland so that they won’t halt completely or try to figure out a different path.”

“You’re disrupting their paths? What do you mean?”

“We’ve got a map at HQ, but I’ll describe it. There are paths between cities, towns, and meeting points that we’ve established they use. The paths are spider-webby inland and gradually merge into a couple paths that end at the cities on the coast, which is where the Pokémon are loaded onto the ships. We’ve been tracking their movements and stopping them at random points in their paths, so they don’t become fearful of using the path. If we continually stop them at a specific place, they’ll stop using it.”

“Wait,” Shuichi realized, “that’s why the media hasn’t connected the dots! Based on where you guys have been catching the traffickers, the Pokémon could be reported missing for longer or shorter periods since their disappearance. Some could be missing for a few hours, some maybe weeks. Because you’re vigilantes who are out of the public eye and you aren’t regularly stopping them at specific meeting points, no one has realized there’s a trafficking ring. They just think there’s some thieves running around.”

“Very astute observation, all the more in our favor. It’s best that not too many people get involved. Usually, we try to stop them before they get this far, but one of my informants further north alerted me to a large movement coming south to join with the guys we’ve been tracking. We figured it would be best to let them join and then stop them as a whole group, rather than coordinating two separate attacks.”

“Okay, do you have an estimate of how many will be there?”

“Unfortunately, no. These guys tend to assemble and take off randomly. We have no idea who’s directing them or how they receive their orders.”

“That’s okay, we’ll just prepare to expect the most resistance. Here’s what I’m thinking: the agency stays open from seven in the morning to ten at night. My uncle and I are usually there from seven to six, with him being on-call from home for the remaining time. I’ll make an excuse to stay behind until ten. Right before ten, I want you to call in suspicious activity at the docks. Make sure you specifically mention the presence of multiple Alolan Pokémon, that will raise some red flags to the other detectives.”

“What if they’re not here at ten? I said the boat should be docking at midnight.”

“Hopefully at least one of the groups will show up by then. And if they don’t, we’ll start a stake-out.”

“Then what will we do?”

“You guys will still be responsible for stopping any traffickers outside of the city; our jurisdiction stops there. If the guys at the dock try to leave, stop them. Keep them in the area.

“Aye-aye captain! Let the games begin!” 

There was a click as Phantom hung up, obviously not wishing to discuss anything else. Shuichi exhaled sharply and sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at his phone. His log showed the number as a received call, but he suspected the number was a throwaway. Phantom seemed determined to not let him know anything about himself and DICE other than the bare minimum of what was needed for them to cooperate. He understood their wariness, but also hoped one day they would open up a little. Sure, they were assaulting people and maybe causing some property damage (the popped tires and crashing truck came to mind) but, other than that, they weren’t hurting anyone or causing trouble. They seemed like good people.

“Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” he asked Lumine and Scout. Both Pokémon lifted their heads at the sound of his voice. “I mean, Uncle Jiro might not be happy if he found out I was helping vigilantes, but he’s reasonable. He would recognize these guys are harmless and would probably just let them off with a warning if he ever caught them. This is the right thing to do, right?”

*

As each minute ticked by on the clock, Shuichi grew more and more nervous. He had been jumpy and jittery all day, but Jun passed it off as coffee overload and gave him some noncaffeinated tea. When six rolled around and Uncle Jiro asked if he was ready to head home, Shuichi lied that he was filling out some forms and it was taking longer than he expected. Since there was no reason to not believe him, Jiro left him to his work and headed out. It was nearing 9:30 in the evening now and his nerves were on fire. What if the call came too late and no one was here anymore? What if it was too early and none of the smugglers were at the docks and his colleagues don’t stick around long enough to stop them? What if—?

“Hey sidekick!” Shuichi yelped and ended up shoving a framed picture off his desk; thankfully, it didn’t break. “Whoa, are you alright?” Kaito stooped to pick up the picture for him. “Did I scare you?”

“Just a little,” Shuichi chuckled nervously. “Why are you here so late?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Kaito replied, pulling up a spare chair so he could sit on the other side of Shuichi’s desk. 

“I’ve got paperwork.”

“What a coincidence, so do I!” Kaito pulled out a binder with a thick collection of papers inside. “I’m filling out my application for the local branch. You gotta start out small, right?” Kaito was dead-set on becoming an astronaut and exploring the far reaches of space. There wasn’t an official space program in Litra, but there was a research branch. If Kaito was accepted there and did well enough, he could be recommended for the actual program.

“Why did you come here to do this?” Shuichi asked.

“I keep getting distracted at home, and since there’s usually very little activity going on here, I thought it would be a perfect place to do this.”

Shuichi didn’t argue because Kaito’s logic was sound. His smuggler bust was weeks ago and was the biggest excitement to happen after months of relative peace. Now that the excitement calmed down, things were back to normal. Except… that was going to change in about a half hour. Shuichi tried to keep himself calm. Thankfully, Kaito was too wrapped up in his own paperwork to notice how nervous his “sidekick” was. Somewhere in the building, a telephone rang and was answered immediately by whoever was sitting at the desk. Kaito distracted Shuichi by asking him to define a term in the paperwork he didn’t recognize.

“Hey kiddo?” Shuichi’s head jerked up at the sound of Jun’s nickname for him. “I think you need to come listen to this.”

Whoever was on the line sounded young, maybe early teens. It definitely wasn’t Phantom, but perhaps one of his minions. Shuichi recalled seeing a couple figures who might have been female on the fateful day he and DICE crossed paths. It was possible Phantom had one of the DICE members call in and play the role of the innocent bystander.

“Please hurry!” the girl on the line pleaded. “There’s some strange people here at the dock. There’s a bunch of Pokémon in cages. They’re getting loaded into a big boat.”

“Don’t worry,” Jun assured her, “we’re on our way.” He had put the girl on speaker, so everyone could hear her. The office was suddenly a flurry of activity. People were grabbing their equipment and returning their Pokémon to their Pokéballs, ready to march out and stop what was undoubtedly another case of Pokémon trafficking.

“What’s all the commotion?” Kaito asked once Shuichi raced back to his desk and started pulling out binoculars and cameras from the drawers.

“There’s another group of Pokémon traffickers at the docks. We’re heading out to catch them. You should probably go home.”

“Why would I do that?” 

Kaito’s blatant confusion in his answer perplexed Shuichi, causing the young detective to stop what he was doing and make eye contact with his friend. “Because we’re all going to leave. The agency will be empty.”

“No, I mean why would I go home when I could help?” Kaito specified.

That response caused every thought process in Shuichi’s mind to scream to a halt. “Kaito… you’re not qualified for this. You’re a civilian, we could get in trouble if we knowingly let you come with us and you got hurt.”

“So? Those vigilantes Rantaro talked about aren’t qualified either, but they do it anyway.”

“That’s why they’re _vigilantes_ and are technically breaking the law.”

“C’mon!” Kaito insisted. “I’m not gonna get hurt. Not when I have the dream team by my side!” With a flourish, he released all four of his Pokémon from their Pokéballs. Each one positioned themselves in a cardinal direction with Kaito as the center point and somehow struck a pose (even though three of the four didn’t have limbs). “Sol, Luna, Nova, Comet, and Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars, reporting for duty!”

 _I can’t deal with this right now_ , Shuichi mentally sighed. Thankfully, Jun had wandered over to see how Shuichi was doing with his preparations and ended up hauling Kaito out of the agency by the scruff of his neck (which was not an easy feat) with his Pokémon floating after him. Shuichi jumped when he heard a sudden noise which turned out to be his cell phone vibrating. He didn’t recognize the number but given how Phantom made his last call using an unknown number, it was likely this was him again.

“Hello?”

“Heeeey, buddy.” Phantom sounded nervous and there was some interference in the background of the call. “Soooo, just to let you know, nothing you heard in that phone call from before was exaggerated.”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked.

“I mean, the boat is here. Right now. At the docks.”

“Are you kidding me!?” Shuichi hissed, glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention to him. “You said it would dock around midnight!”

“I also said we can’t always predict how these guys are gonna act!” Phantom argued back. “They saw an opening and they’re taking it. If your guys don’t get here in ten minutes, we’re taking action.”

“We’re mobilizing, just… try to stall them in any way you can without scaring them off or getting caught.”

“Ooooh, guerilla warfare! Alright, we’ll get to it. But don’t dawdle, Mister Detective.”

With that, the connection was cut, and Shuichi was left to contemplate his life choices. The binoculars and cameras would have been most useful for a stakeout, since he had assumed the phone call was just to get them down to the docks and the boat wouldn’t be there yet. Now he was foreseeing pandemonium as soon as they pulled up. What would the smugglers do? Would they fight, or would they take off with the Pokémon they had already loaded into the boat like Shuichi’s smugglers did with the truck? Or maybe DICE had already thought ahead and disabled the boat?

“C’mon kiddo!” Jun urged Shuichi to hurry. “Your uncle’s going to meet us down there. Your traffickers may have some accomplices; we need you to give us pointers on their actions that you noticed with the ones you caught.”

“Well, first off, no sirens.”

Jun jolted to a halt. “I’m sorry, what?”

“We can’t alert them that we’re coming in any way. Otherwise, they might start up the boat and leave the dock before we can catch them.”

Jun looked like he wanted to argue. The flashing lights and sirens were their method of alerting citizens to move out of the way of their cars, so they wouldn’t run into any obstructions on the road. But, as Shuichi said, it would also alert the criminals they were trying to sneak up on, criminals who had a clear path they could take to escape where the detectives couldn’t follow. If the traffickers made it into the water, they couldn’t be followed; at least, not right away. But by the time they could get a boat to follow, the traffickers could outpace them and disappear or have time to prepare to assault the detectives if they caught up.

“Alright,” Jun conceded. “We’ll keep silent all the way there, but we’ll have the lights on until we get close to the docks.”

Anyone who was watching the agency might have felt a rush of excitement seeing the cars racing out of the parking garage beside the building. The flashing lights lit up the dim street as the convoy sped through the city without sirens. Shuichi gripped and twisted the fabric of his pants in a futile attempt to keep his nervousness under control. Looking back, his capture of the first two smugglers seemed simple yet foolish. He had accidentally stumbled upon them and acted purely out of instinct. His pursuit on Blazer’s back could have ended in tragedy if the two had decided Shuichi couldn’t live to identify them in the future and they could have pulled the truck over to finish him off. In the heat of the adrenaline-fueled moment, the possibility that those two could have killed him and Blazer didn’t occur. Now, he was running headlong into a group of traffickers, but, thankfully, he had a lot more support this time. Especially since the rest of the humans and Pokémon with him were trained law enforcement. 

Tires screeched to a halt in the parking lot of the marina. There were multiple flashes of light as Pokémon were released and dutifully stood beside their owners. Shuichi spied the glowing yellow rings of his uncle’s Umbreon, Shadow, and quickly crossed the parking lot to find Jiro giving instructions of the best intrusion points. He was about to get his uncle’s attention when he heard the faintest of sounds carrying across the water. Everyone else heard it as well since they stopped talking and froze. Sure enough, there were howls and shouts coming from the docks.

“Maybe a Pokémon escaped?” someone suggested. Shuichi took off running toward the docks before he was even aware of what he was doing. He only came back to himself when he was suddenly tackled to the ground.

“What are you doing!?” Jiro shouted, dragging Shuichi into a sitting position. “You don’t go running headfirst into a situation you don’t have any information on!”

 _What if DICE is in trouble!? What if the boat is leaving!? What if someone’s dead!?_ “I…I’m sorry. I thought…”

“You are not fully trained. I don’t care about you catching those two men a couple weeks ago. This is on a whole other level and I will not risk your safety.” Shuichi wilted under his uncle’s scolding and could only meekly nod. 

There was no worse feeling than being left behind in all the action. Shuichi both sympathized with that feeling and abhorred it. One, he was scared; there was no telling what situation his uncle and coworkers were running into, and so Shuichi was somewhat relieved to be left out. However, the same feeling of the unknown that caused him to feel relief in not facing it also caused him great concern for the detectives’ fates. So, despite his fear and his uncle’s orders, he sprinted out of the parking lot and down to the docks with Lumine and Scout by his side. Taking care to avoid detection, Shuichi stayed low and sneaked between cargo containers until he spied a box truck like the one the traffickers he had caught used. Unfortunately, it was empty, which meant the Pokémon were on the boats.

A hand grabbed him by the shoulder so suddenly that he elbowed his unknown assailant on pure instinct. They grunted and wheezed, their grip loosening from his shoulder and allowing him to turn around. “Kaito!? What the hell!?”

“You hit hard,” Kaito coughed, clutching his abdomen where Shuichi’s elbow jab had knocked the breath out of him. 

“What are you doing here!?” Shuichi demanded in a soft whisper, enraged at his friend’s blatant disregard for his own safety but still hoping to avoid detection.

“You said I couldn’t help because you’d get in trouble if you guys _knowingly_ let me come along and I got hurt. Since I can’t ensure a hundred percent I won’t get hurt, I took the alternate route and came along without you guys knowing.”

“I’m telling Maki,” Shuichi threatened, hoping the risk of facing his girlfriend’s wrath would force Kaito to leave.

“I’m willing to face her anger. Come on Shuichi, these Pokémon need all the help they can get.”

“They _have_ all the help they can get. Uncle Jiro won’t even let _me_ take part in this, what hope do you have?”

“That hurt.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you,” Shuichi apologized. “But you have no law enforcement training at all and this is a very dangerous situation.”

“No, I meant your elbow jab,” Kaito specified, gently prodding his injury. “That’s probably going to bruise.”

“Let’s hope that’s the worst injury you get tonight.”

Any further arguments were interrupted by the appearance of a familiar face. Lumine and Scout both leapt forward to defend Shuichi and Kaito from a figure that slithered in from the shadows. Upon recognizing the Serperior as the one that cut the lock on the smugglers’ truck, Shuichi gave the order for his Pokémon to stand down. 

“Boss was wondering if you would show up,” said a strange voice. One of the DICE members stepped into the dim light to stand next to his Serperior. He wore the same white outfit and unique clown mask the rest of the members had, but Shuichi differentiated him by his tall, slender figure and blonde, side-swept bangs. Side-swept gave Kaito a cursory glance before speaking to Shuichi once more. “You seem to be developing the habit of showing up wherever these scum lurk. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”

“Of course, it’s good!” Kaito snapped. “It means Shuichi’s here to stop them.” While Kaito was getting riled up by what he believed was an insult, Shuichi realized what Side-swept was doing: distancing Shuichi from DICE. “Hey, wait, ain’t you one of the guys Rantaro saw?”

“Considering I don’t know who that is, I can’t say for sure. Either way, we’re done here.” Without another word, he ran off towards the sounds of fighting with his Serperior.

Kaito huffed at the DICE member’s retreating form and released his Pokémon. “Get a good vantage point, and don’t be afraid to knock some heads of the bad guys,” he told them.

Realizing he wasn’t going to convince his friend to leave, Shuichi reluctantly kept Kaito close as he stealthily made his way to the water’s edge. There were two unidentified boats docked that Shuichi was sure were the smugglers’. They looked like small cargo ships, and both had wide metal ramps dropped onto the dock. Under the light of the moon, Shuichi could see dark shapes running up and down the ramps with bulky objects. One such figure almost reached the top of the ramp before suddenly being knocked aside by a flying object. They dropped their load on the ramp and went tumbling into the water. The cries of Pokémon and the shouts of men and women filled the air.

“Look at that!” Kaito whispered, pointing to the bulky object, which looked more like a briefcase than a cage, that had been dropped on the ramp. A shadowy figure had popped up from their hiding place on the boat’s deck and coveted the object, dragging it all the way up the ramp with no regard to the person who was floundering in the water. “Guess there’s no sense of loyalty among them.”

The two of them crept closer to the open space where the boat was docked and found themselves surrounded by pandemonium. Some of the traffickers were already apprehended, lying on the ground with their hands handcuffed behind their backs. Some were trying to get the rest of the Pokémon into the boats, but the number who were doing that was dwindling as they were forced to fight against the detectives as their allies were stopped and captured. Shuichi gasped when he saw Jun slam into the ground with one of the traffickers on top of him, trying to punch him in the face. Jun protectively brought his arms up to cover his face, forcing the man to strike at his forearms instead. Jun’s Growlithe suddenly bowled the man over and bit down on his arm, allowing Jun to scramble to his feet and arrest the man. A woman wielding what looked like a pipe leapt up behind Uncle Jiro and looked ready to strike him, but a Golbat swooped down from nowhere and hit her in the back of the head with its wings. After she fell, and thus alerted Uncle Jiro, the Golbat flew back into the sky. Shuichi glanced up and saw the DICE members were all crouched on top of the shipping containers and were directing their Pokémon from there. One the DICE members managed to spy him in his hiding place and pointed towards the ships. 

_They want me to go inside the ship?_ He couldn’t count how many of the DICE members were up there, but he did observe a noticeable lack of Phantom up there with them. _So, that means he might be on one of the boats._ Getting to the boats meant running through the battle exposed, but Shuichi took a chance and sprinted as fast as he could. No one seemed to notice, too caught up in the mayhem. He had to dodge a body getting knocked back from a punch but found his path unimpeded for the most part. He pounded up the metal ramp, tripped at the very top, and somersaulted into one of the smugglers who was on the deck. 

“Good job, Shuichi!” Kaito praised, either believing Shuichi did that on purpose or trying to find something positive in this whole situation. The man looked like he had been knocked unconscious, so the two decided to leave him there. 

“Kaito, call your Pokémon and go below deck. Take out anyone who tries to stop you,” Shuichi directed.

“What are you going to do?”

“Destroy the controls.” If he destroyed the control room then, even if one of the traffickers managed to escape from the detectives, they wouldn’t be able to power the ship up to leave. He flung the door to the bridge open as hard as he could, hoping to spook anyone who might be in there and catch them by surprise. Thankfully, he was alone and didn’t have to directly face anyone. The buttons were active and flashing, but he knew little about boat controls and didn’t know if that meant the boat was active as well. He couldn’t feel any rumbling from the engines, so he guessed it wasn’t. “Lumine use Rock Throw! Scout use Swift!”

Under the assault of rocks and energy stars, the metal panel dented and bent, smoke rising from within the machines. The flashing lights died out, leaving the broken panels dark. Satisfied the boat wasn’t going anywhere, Shuichi left the bridge and made his way down the deck to the hatch leading down below. There were some cages stacked around, obviously waiting to be carried down, but no one was around to do it. Forcing himself to ignore the cries of the trapped Pokémon, he descended below deck only to immediately duck out of the way as a large figure almost knocked him over. Kaito was fighting with another man, trying to take the case-like object they had seen before. The man was very large and muscular, able to fend off Kaito and his Pokémon, who were ramming their bodies into his head and shoulders, afraid to unleash an attack due to the confined space and possibility of accidentally hitting Kaito. 

“Scout use Quick Attack!” Shuichi ordered. The Eevee launched himself forward, gathering speed and throwing himself against the back of one of the man’s knees. The man’s leg collapsed and distracted him, allowing Kaito to yank the case out of his grasp and knee him in the face. The man crumpled to the ground completely.

“There’s something in here!” said Kaito, holding up the case. “I heard it!”

“Something alive?” Shuichi glanced around the cargo hold, spying all the cages stacked along the walls in the dim lighting from flickering lightbulbs. “Why would they put it in that case instead of a cage?”

“Why indeed?” Shuichi spun around to face whoever had snuck up on them, only to see a familiar mask and hat-cloak combo. He was about to speak freely, before remembering he wasn’t supposed to have a connection with DICE. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I was under the impression the docks were public property,” said Phantom.

“Not when there’s a brawl happening,” said Kaito.

“Then why are you two here?”

“We’re rescuing the Pokémon!” 

“Then you’ve got the wrong tools to do it,” Phantom pointed out.

“And I suppose you do?” said Shuichi.

Phantom giggled and snapped his fingers, and it was only then that Shuichi discovered the shorter boy wasn’t alone. It wasn’t Jester the Zorua or Phantom’s shiny Roselia who walked out from behind him, but an Absol. “Silver’s Razor Wind cut through those bars and locks like they were nothing. Step aside.” Shuichi and Kaito obeyed and allowed Phantom and his Absol to pass by, staying behind them so they wouldn’t be in the way.

“Silver use Razor Wind!” Phantom commanded. Silver’s horn began to glow as he collected power. With a twist of his head, the Absol threw a sickle made of pure energy across the cargo hold, slicing through the locks and bars of the cages and allowing the Pokémon inside to push the doors open. He repeated the same move on the cages stacked against the other wall.

“Let’s hurry to the other boat,” Shuichi suggested.

“I already took care of them, remember? I said Silver’s Razor Wind had cut through the cages,” said Phantom. “My work here is done. You boys don’t mind cleaning up the mess, right?”

Kaito didn’t seem to mind being swarmed by thankful Pokémon. With him distracted, Shuichi attempted to talk with Phantom again, only to discover the thief had escaped back to the top desk. Shuichi rushed up the steps to stop Phantom before he could get too far away. The sounds of fighting had faded, but there were still sounds of threats and complaints from the traffickers as they were cuffed and forced to sit in groups with snarling Pokémon guarding them. Shuichi could see lights on the other boat; no doubt his colleagues were investigating and would soon make their way over.

“Wait!” Shuichi called softly, not wanting the detectives to know Phantom was on board the ship. “You said this was a test run, right? So… how do you feel about future collaborations?”

“Given what a shit-show this was, it went better than I thought it would,” Phantom admitted. “But expect future raids to be like this. We can’t predict when and how these guys will act, and it was pure luck that you guys got here in time and managed to nab ‘em. But, for now, I wouldn’t mind calling on your agency in the future. We’ll be in touch.”

A cloud passing over the moon cleared and lit up the deck. Something shiny glinted in the thick ruff of Silver the Absol. Shuichi took a step forward and focused his eyes at the object, gasping when he recognized its similar appearance to the very object he had gifted Kiyo a couple days ago. “Is that a Mega Stone?”

Phantom brought his finger to the lips of his mask in a shushing gesture and, with his other hand, pulled down the sleeve of his gesturing hand, revealing the glint and glimmer of a Keystone embedded in a bracelet around his wrist. He giggled in that unique way of his and then bid farewell with a dramatic wave. He returned Silver to his Pokéball and suddenly jumped off the railing of the boat. Shuichi gasped and rushed to the edge of the boat, fearing he would see the boy struggling in the water. He had no need to be concerned however, as Phantom was safely standing on the head of a Tentacruel. The jellyfish Pokémon swam next to the dock until Phantom was safely pulled onto land by one of the DICE members, who returned the Tentacruel to its Pokéball and vanished.

 _I don’t believe it. He has a Mega Absol._ He could see some of his colleagues beginning to walk up the ramp of the boat he was on and allowed himself to relax. The adrenaline rush was starting to wear off, leaving him shaky and unbalanced. 

“Shuichi?” Uncle Jiro shined a flashlight in his face. “I told you to stay near the cars!”

“I’m sorry. I got worried,” Shuichi weakly argued back. 

“Hey!” Kaito emerged from below deck, still carrying the case. “We gotta crack this thing open! Something’s inside!”

“Kaito!?” Uncle Jiro stared at the other boy incredulously. “What is going on!? Why are you here!?”

“Yell at me later.” Kaito set the case down on the deck. “Sol, Luna, use Gyro Ball!” The two Pokémon began to spin, their bodies collecting energy as they sped up, and then slammed themselves down on the case. The case cracked nearly in half and bent in the middle. No one spoke a word as everyone leaned in to see if Kaito was correct and there was something inside the case. A pair of glowing eyes peered out at them, and then something emerged.

“What…is that?” one of the detectives wondered.

Its body looked like it was made of stardust. It had a dark face with glowing yellow eyes and two clouds above its head like pom-poms. It levitated off the deck, curiously peering at each of the humans present in turn. When it looked at Kaito, it let out a squeal of happiness and started dancing around his Pokémon. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Uncle Jiro sounded mesmerized. 

“He looks like a nebula,” Kaito commented.

“A what?” said Shuichi.

“A nebula. A star cloud. I’m gonna call him Nebula!”

“Stop naming things that don’t belong to you!” Uncle Jiro shouted. “And how do you know it’s a boy?”

Kaito shrugged. “He just looks like one. Sol, Luna, and Comet are genderless, so I call them by the pronouns that I think fit them.” The star cloud stopped dancing with Kaito’s Pokémon and began exploring the deck of the boat. Some of the Pokémon were beginning to emerge from below deck and amble over to the detectives. 

“Do you think that truck on the dock still works? We could use it to take these guys to the agency,” Shuichi offered.

*

It was almost a repeat of the night he caught the two smugglers, only there were no owners claiming their Pokémon present. Uncle Jiro decided it was too late in the evening to alert any owners their Pokémon had been rescued. For now, it was a matter of settling the dozens of Alolan Pokémon down for the night. What made it more difficult than last time was the sheer number and variety that now occupied the agency. Shuichi sat at his desk, slumped in his chair and yawning as the hours dragged on and he wasn’t in bed. A Comfey had knocked off his hat and was attempting to decorate his hair with crumpled papers from the trash bin it thought were flowers. A curious Fomantis had stolen his knocked-off hat and taken shelter underneath its brim. Jun was struggling to carry a load of Charjabug that were stacked neatly in his arms. One of the detectives was attempting to cuddle a Stufful who was making it perfectly clear they didn’t want to be picked up. About four Pyukumuku were dropped into the break room sink to keep them moist and cool. An Alolan Sandshrew had taken residence inside the break room freezer as well.

“It’s a mad-house in here,” Kaito commented. “Is this what it was like last time?”

“It wasn’t nearly this bad,” Shuichi responded, watching an Oranguru steal people’s coats to make a nest for the night. Kaito only hummed as a response, gently tipping the floating Nebula side-to-side. The strange Pokémon appeared to be lavishing the attention and waving his pom-poms excitedly.

“I’ve never seen a Pokémon like him before,” said Shuichi. _That appears to be a reoccurring theme for these raids, doesn’t it?_

“Maybe he’s a new discovery,” said Kaito. “Or an old one. Remember when they kept finding Relicanth fossils in Hoenn and thought they were an extinct Pokémon from long ago?”

“Yeah, and then that submersible broke into an underwater lava dome and found an entire breeding population, alive and well.”

“Exactly,” said Kaito, “what if this is similar? What if someone randomly discovered him in a hidden place? I mean, has every inch of the Alolan Islands been researched?” Kaito had a point. New Pokémon were discovered all the time, including Pokémon previously believed to be extinct. It was entirely possible Nebula belonged to a species hidden somewhere in the world and had been poached.

“Shuichi, we’re heading home.” Shuichi could tell by the tightness of Uncle Jiro’s voice that he was still a little irritated at his nephew disobeying orders. Not one to poke the Beartic, Shuichi collected his things and got ready to leave, stooping to reclaim his hat from the Fomatis. “Kaito, I’m mad at you too. I don’t want to see you for… I don’t know, three days? Does that sound good?”

“What about Nebula?” Kaito asked.

“Whatever that Pokémon is, it doesn’t belong to you. It’s going to stay here and you’re going home.”

Kaito wanted to argue, Shuichi could see it in his expression. Nevertheless, Kaito relented and got out of the chair he had dragged to Shuichi’s desk when he had first arrived hours ago. Nebula watched Kaito attentively and, when he saw he was leaving, attempted to follow. Uncle Jiro gently grasped Nebula’s body and started to take him toward the rest of the Pokémon. Suddenly, there was a bright flash and Nebula was gone from his grasp, floating after Kaito like he hadn’t been interrupted.

“Okay… he knows Teleport,” said Shuichi. 

“That’s going to make this significantly more difficult,” said Uncle Jiro.

“Look,” Shuichi tentatively offered, “he likes Kaito, why don’t we just let him go for now? Kaito will keep an eye on him and bring him back when needed.” 

Uncle Jiro rubbed his eyes, the late hour and the events of the night taking their toll. “Fine. Kaito, when I tell you to bring him back, you do it, no arguing.”

“Okay,” Kaito agreed, barely able to hide his grin as he collected Nebula and walked out.

Shuichi had to fight an intense desire to follow him out. It’s not like Uncle Jiro would scream at or hit him, but Shuichi hated when his uncle was disappointed with him. Shuichi knew it was his own anxiety making the situation worse than it actually was, but it didn’t relieve his feelings of uneasiness. 

Uncle Jiro rubbed his eyes again and sighed. “Let’s go, Shuichi.”

The car ride was awkward. Shuichi would timidly glance at his uncle and then avert his gaze when Jiro attempted to look back at him. Shuichi wrung his hands nervously and tried to focus on anything other than his uncle.

“Y’know, it’s amazing you can have these moments of reckless bravery to rescue Pokémon in trouble, like jumping on Blazer’s back and chasing down two dangerous men, but you tremble if I’m even slightly irritated with you. I don’t know whether or not I should be concerned you’re so afraid of me,” said Jiro.

“I’m not afraid of you. I’m worried.”

“Worried about what?”

“Disappointing you.”

Uncle Jiro’s jaw tightened in concern. “That’s a feeling you’ve always had, isn’t it? You’ve always been worried about disappointing us or being a burden.”

“Have I?”

“About a week after you came to live with us, I gave myself the day off and stayed home with you while your aunt ran errands. I was taking a nap when I suddenly got woken up by a loud crashing sound and you screaming. I ran into the kitchen and you were on the floor with a broken bowl, bleeding from a gash on your hand. Apparently, you wanted to make some food but didn’t want to disturb me, so you jumped up on the counter to get a bowl from the cabinet, lost your balance, and fell. I thought you were crying because of the cut, but you weren’t. You were crying because you didn’t want me to be mad at you.”

Shuichi had vague memories of the incident, his fingers instinctively running along the edge of one of his hands, tracing a pale scar. “All I remember is having to get stitches.”

“You were seven, and I’m guessing having to go to the emergency room was a lot more traumatizing than falling off the counter. But even back then, you were afraid of disappointing me.”

“I was rather high-maintenance, wasn’t I?”

“No, you were actually very independent for a seven-year-old. That combined with the fact that you were afraid I would be angry at you for hurting yourself made me angry at two very specific people.”

“Two people?”

“Your parents.” 

They rarely discussed Shuichi’s parents, especially considering the two of them barely contacted their son. Shuichi had been sent to live with his aunt and uncle when he was seven and had very few memories of his life before. One memory that stuck out was being in a big fancy house that was foreign to him, filled with a ton of strangers wearing nice clothes. He was pretty sure it was a party. He remembered wandering around, no one paying attention to him, not even his parents. Eventually, he had hunkered down in one of the spare bedrooms and had fallen asleep. During the first couple of years after he had moved in with his aunt and uncle, his parents had tried to contact him occasionally, mostly during holidays. Slowly, the phone calls became more and more spaced out before they stopped completely. 

“Shuichi,” said Uncle Jiro, “I want to make this perfectly clear: I’m not mad at you and I’m not disappointed with you. When you tried to run to the docks, you scared me because you could’ve been hurt. And maybe I was a little angry when I found you in the aftermath, but I was more relieved that you weren’t harmed. Okay?”

“Okay,” Shuichi replied.

“If anything, I’m proud of you for rescuing those Pokémon. But I was angry at Kaito.”

“I can understand that, and, to be fair, I did tell him to leave.”

“You know that doesn’t work. He has to be where the action is. Pokémon appear to be naturally attracted to him though.”

“Yeah” Shuichi agreed, thinking about how Comet and Nebula had both attached themselves to Kaito within moments of meeting him. “I think it’s his charisma.”

“By the way, do you know if anyone in the agency has two Golbat?”

“No, I don’t think so. Why?”

“I could’ve sworn I saw two Golbat swooping down on people. They were knocking some of the traffickers off the ramp into the water, but I didn’t think anyone in the agency had Golbat.”

“Who knows?” Shuichi tried to appear nonchalant, knowing full well the Golbat responsible for knocking people around belonged to DICE.

*

Normally, after working a late night, Uncle Jiro would pity his nephew and allow him either the day off or a late start. However, after last night’s fiasco, Shuichi was not given that luxury. Now he found himself, sleepy-eyed and yawning constantly, standing in front of the door of the agency. He wasn’t even allowed to complain, given that he technically brought the punishment upon himself. So, he clamped his mouth shut and waited for the door to be unlocked.

“You’re on Pokémon duty today,” said Jiro. “You’re in charge of keeping them settled while we alert the surrounding region and wait for their owners to get them.”

“Yes, Uncle Jiro.”

They stepped inside, Jun and a couple other detectives following close behind. The lights were flicked on and as the office came to life, something odd was noticed right away. They didn’t doubt there would some disorder. Maybe a Pokémon climbed on a desk and knocked everything off, but not like this. Papers were strewn across the floor, trash cans were knocked over, drawers of desks and filing cabinets had been pulled open. Uncle Jiro wordlessly released Fang from his Pokéball and gave the signal for the detectives present to follow. Fang stalked among the desks, sniffing at the garbage, ears swiveling as he listened for any potential intruders. Suddenly, the Mightyena let out a bellow and launched himself over one of the desks. A voice cried out from the other side.

“Stay where you are!” Jiro ordered, rushing to the other of the desk to see who Fang had captured.

A young boy, maybe twelve, lay on his back, Fang pinning him to the floor and baring his teeth in his face. He had bright orange hair and clear blue eyes and a bandage on his cheek. His clothing looked ragged and dirty, as did the backpack laying off to the side that Shuichi assumed was his. He looked terrified of the teeth an inch from his face, but Shuichi could also see an aura of determination in the boy.

“Good boy,” the kid hesitantly said to Fang. “Let me go, please?”

“Fang, back,” Jiro ordered. “Who are you?” he asked the boy.

The kid slowly sat up, eying Fang cautiously. “I can’t tell you ‘cuz you’ll just stop me.”

“Stop you from doing what?” asked Jun.

“I can’t tell you!” the boy repeated.

“Are you from Litra, or the surrounding area?” asked Uncle Jiro.

“I. Can’t. Tell. You!”

“What can you tell us?” Shuichi specified.

The kid’s jaw clamped shut, not out of defiance, but of contemplation. “I got in through the back door by sliding on an old gift card through the gap,” he finally stated. “I’m not here to steal anything. I’m sorry about the mess; I was upset.”

“About what?” Shuichi asked as the detectives started picking things up and trying to get the office orderly again.

“Things not going my way.”

“Okay, you,” Uncle Jiro pointed at the kid, “you made this mess, start cleaning. Shuichi, come over here.” Shuichi retreated to the break room with his uncle, glancing back to see the kid was indeed helping clean the mess. “I’m going to call the local precinct. This kid is probably a runaway. Why he chose to break in here puzzles me, but whatever. Make sure he doesn’t try to run until they get here; also, try to get some information out of him.”

The rescued Pokémon were beginning to stir and wander, forcing the detectives to step over and around them. The kid appeared very interested in the Pokémon, giving each a once-over before averting his attention completely. It was almost as if he was looking for a specific one but wasn’t finding them. Going with that assumption, Shuichi approached him and began helping clean as well. He picked up the raggedy backpack and noticed a pair of headphones with it.

“These yours?” he asked, holding the items out.

“Yeah,” the kid replied, taking the two items and leaning them against the wall, out of everyone’s way.

“Looks like you could use a new backpack.”

“Nah, it’s good. It’s just been on a long journey.”

“Did you specifically break into this building because of the Alolan Pokémon?”

The boy flinched, and he had a grimace on his face. “Maybe.”

Trying to appear nonchalant, Shuichi shrugged. “We don’t have many Alolan Pokémon on the mainland, it’s natural for people to be curious. They usually don’t break into the building though.” The kid appeared satisfied that Shuichi wasn’t suspicious of him. “My name is Shuichi. If you won’t give us your name, could you at least let me know what to call you?”

“No, it won’t matter.”

“Okay. Since you’re so interested in Alolan Pokémon, do you have a favorite?” The kid didn’t respond, so Shuichi kept pressing. “Would you like to see mine? I have a Rockruff.” The kid looked at Shuichi and nodded. Lumine and Scout both sprang from their Pokéballs and curiously started poking around. The kid looked immediately interested in Lumine and kneeled to pet him, the latter happily reciprocating by licking his hand. 

“How old is your Eevee?” the kid asked.

“He’ll be nine next month.”

“That old? Why haven’t you evolved him yet?”

 _Ah, this question again._ “I don’t really have a definitive answer. It just doesn’t seem right for me to choose his evolution, and he’s never made it clear which one he wants to evolve into, so he’s still an Eevee. He obviously agrees since he meets the requirements to evolve into Espeon, Umbreon, or Sylveon.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“I’ve known him for nine years. If Scout doesn’t want to evolve, then he doesn’t have to.”

The kid appeared satisfied with that answer. “I would want a Jolteon. They’re quick and since I’m very active, they would be able to keep up with me.”

Any further conversation was halted by the arrival of two policemen from the local precinct. Shuichi recognized one of them: Takaaki Ishimaru. He was a grizzled, unshaven man who constantly looked tired and whom Shuichi had never seen smile once. With that in mind, he probably wasn’t the best person to send for this particular situation. As if on cue, the kid leapt to his feet and sprinted for the back door. Uncle Jiro jumped out of the break room and snagged him mid-stride. The kid struggled but Jiro was much stronger and kept him lifted off the ground. Takaaki just looked bored— or maybe that was his neutral expression.

“Runaway?” was all he said.

“We believe so,” Uncle Jiro grunted, readjusting his grip on the kid. “He broke in either late last night or early this morning. Refused to give a name.”

“Let me go!” the boy demanded. “You can’t stop me!”

“Alright, we’ll take it from here.” Takaaki looked very skinny, but was surprisingly strong. He managed to secure the kid under one arm and take the boy’s belongings in his other hand. “We’ll search the backpack and return anything he might have stolen.”

“I doubt he stole anything. It’s not like there’s anything valuable,” said Uncle Jiro.

“Let me go! Let me go! I have stuff to do!” the boy continued to howl as he was carried out of the agency.

_Well, that was our odd and interesting thing to happen this week. Considering the past couple of weeks, we’ve been reaching that quota on a regular basis._ Despite the boy being forcibly carried out of their lives, Shuichi couldn’t help but wonder what his intentions were. He purposefully broke into the agency, refused to tell them anything about himself, and insisted he had a mission of some sort. 

“It’s out of our hands,” Uncle Jiro spoke up, spooking Shuichi from his thoughts. “And you’re still on Pokémon duty, there’s no getting out of that.”

“I know, I know.” And he was fine with that, until a thought occurred of a previous appointment. “Uncle Jiro? Do I have to spend my lunch break here too?”

“That’s right.”

_Crap. I promised Mosaic yesterday I would be back at noon._ The logical part of his brain reminded him that even if Mosaic could tell time, he was in an underground cell with no windows. Shuichi would just have to go after he got off work. Even still, he felt like he was breaking a promise, especially since he was trying to earn the strange Pokémon’s trust. _It’ll be okay. He’ll be fine. It’s just a little longer of a wait._

*

Shuichi dropped into the cell and immediately kneeled to flick on the plastic lamp. He heard the chains clinking behind him and stood up to face Mosaic. The Pokémon was standing at attention and had stepped off his nest to investigate whoever had intruded. When he saw it was Shuichi, he appeared to relax and dropped his haunches to the floor. Satisfied that everything was okay, Shuichi unzipped his bag and pulled out the rope and baseball, ready to toss it and retrieve the metal bowls. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lumine and Scout struggling down the steep staircase on their own. He took a step forward, one foot stepping down on one end of the discarded board and tipping it up, the lifted end catching the toe of his other foot. Shuichi stumbled forward and curled his body so that he could protect his head and end his tumble in a roll. He splayed out on his back, trying to collect his bearings, before realizing, to his utter and complete horror, he was in Mosaic’s range.

The Pokémon jumped back to his feet during Shuichi’s mishap and immediately approached. An insectoid foot planted down on Shuichi’s chest and held him in place. A mask-clad head leaned forward and steel-gray eyes staring into Shuichi’s own. Shuichi tried to avert his gaze, fearing that eye contact could be misconstrued as a challenge, but found that he couldn’t. He began hyperventilating as Mosaic pressed more of his body weight on the foot holding Shuichi down. Those analyzing eyes flicked up for a second when Lumine and Scout both leapt forward, snarling and bristling. The two were obviously scared and had no idea what to expect from this creature, but they were going to protect their trainer at all costs. Mosaic didn’t move; he just stared at the two smaller Pokémon, something that Shuichi could’ve sworn was confusion in his gray eyes. Scout bristled all his fur on end and peeled his lips back into a fear grimace, letting out a high-pitched shriek. If it were possible for an Eevee of all Pokémon to be genuinely frightening, Scout achieved it. Mosaic didn’t look intimidated at all, but a look of understanding seemed to pass into his expression.

_He has such human-like eyes_ , Shuichi couldn’t help but ponder.

His movement was purposefully slow, but Mosaic lifted his foot off Shuichi’s chest and took a step back. As much as he wanted to scramble to his feet and clamber up the steep staircase, Shuichi knew, even in his fear-induced state, he had to move slowly so he didn’t agitate Mosaic. He sat up and started gradually scooting backward out of Mosaic’s range, Lumine and Scout snarling at the Pokémon the entire time until Shuichi was safe next to the staircase. He wanted to escape, he wanted to leap up the staircase and never come back…

But he didn’t.

Mosaic was sitting calmly, seemingly waiting for something. His heart was still pounding in his chest, but Shuichi managed to struggle to his feet, leaning heavily against the wall. Mosaic stood up again and walked over to his metal bowls, swiping them so they skittered across the floor to Shuichi’s feet. Finally remembering what he came here to do before being horribly traumatized, Shuichi dropped to his knees, still too shaky to have done the motion smoothly, and reached into his backpack for the food and water. He filled both bowls but hesitated in pushing them to Mosaic. First off, he was ready to burn that board to smithereens due to the amount of trouble it had given him. But on the other hand, he couldn’t help but feel that Mosaic was trying to tell him something. The Pokémon had the perfect chance to maul him, but he didn’t. Lumine and Scout had threatened him, but Mosaic wasn’t intimidated. So, what made him back off?

“You… don’t want to hurt me, right?” Shuichi asked uncertainly. Mosaic just stared back.

 _What made me think he would respond?_ Taking in a shaky a breath, Shuichi took a step forward and stopped. Mosaic didn’t move or give any indication he was agitated. Shuichi took another step; again, Mosaic stayed calm. Shuichi continued stepping forward until he was directly in front of the Pokémon. Not wanting to incur his wrath, Shuichi side-stepped Mosaic and deposited the bowls by the blanket nest before walking backward until he touched the wall with his back.

“Okay? Are we okay?” Mosaic blinked at him and then returned to his nest. “Yes, I think we’re okay.” Shuichi grabbed his bag and both his Pokémon and climbed up the staircase. He rolled onto his back once he was out of the hatch, struggling to catch his breath. 

“That was worse than when I first found him.” Both Lumine and Scout looked like they were frowning at him, or the expression they can make that most closely resembled a frown.

“I know, I know, one day I’m going to trip and kill myself, but that day was not today. It’s not like I’m even that clumsy!” Shuichi sat up and exhaled, finally starting to feel calm again. He dropped the hatch door down and covered the seams in dust again. That had been a close call, but he couldn’t help but wonder what it implied. Mosaic had the perfect opportunity to harm him but chose to let him go. Did that mean the Pokémon was starting to trust him? Or at least acknowledged that he had no reason to hurt Shuichi? Whatever it was, it was progress.

The sun was setting over the horizon as he left the warehouse, Lumine and Scout trotting beside him as he walked toward the more populated streets. He felt like stopping at the bakery in the promenade to comfort himself after his brush with Mosaic’s talons and turned in that direction. However, whatever plan he had in mind was halted at the sight of a familiar mop of orange-red hair. Shuichi amazed himself by his reflexes, catching the boy as he tried to run by.

“Let me go!” he shouted, attempting to punch Shuichi in the ribs.

“Calm down, it’s me.”

The boy looked up and paused in his struggling upon recognizing his captor. “What are you doing here?”

“I live in the area, and I’m starting to think you don’t.” Although reluctantly, Shuichi let the boy go. “Look, I understand you have a mission of some kind, but you should know it’s dangerous for a kid your age to be traveling all by yourself. Don’t you at least have a Pokémon?” Shuichi regretted his words as soon as he said them when he saw the boy recoil like he had been stabbed. “You don’t…” he realized.

“No!” the boy shouted. “I do! He’s… he…” the boy trailed off, staring sadly at Lumine.

A lot of things suddenly clicked into place. “He was stolen, wasn’t he?” Shuichi asked. “He’s an Alolan Pokémon and he was stolen by the traffickers. That’s why you broke into the agency.” 

The boy wrapped his arms around himself and nodded, his eyes beginning to shimmer with tears. “I have to find him. I thought he might have been one of the ones you rescued, but he wasn’t there. I just… I want Jingles back.”

_Wasn’t there?_ “My friend took one of the Pokémon home with him. Does Jingles look like a floating star cloud with pom-poms?”

“No, Jingles is a Jangmo-o.”

Shuichi was vaguely familiar with the species. He knew it was a Dragon-type and walked on all-fours but couldn’t recall much else. “I’m sorry, but Jangmo-o wasn’t one of the species we’ve rescued.”

“I figured that out.”

“Wait, didn’t Officer Ishimaru take you into custody? How did you escape?”

“I wouldn’t give him any information and slipped out when I saw a chance. I can’t go home, not until I find Jingles.”

“Why didn’t you tell us? We can help you find him.”

“No!” the boy insisted. “I have to find him myself!”

“Why won’t you let anyone help you?”

“Because…” the boy clenched his fists, a look of determination gracing his features through the tears, “it’s the only way to prove to my parents that I’m ready… I’m ready to go on my Pokémon journey. That’s why I have to do this by myself. I have to find Jingles.”

Shuichi was both impressed and vexed by this boy. He appreciated the kid’s determination in rescuing his partner and proving he was prepared to go on his journey but was critical of the kid’s belief that he had to do this alone. “That’s very foolish. You have no idea what you’re getting caught up in. These people are dangerous, and they won’t care that you’re just a kid. If you get in their way, they’ll get rid of you.”

“But I had to follow them! All the Alolan Pokémon in my town are gone! If I didn’t follow them, they would’ve disappeared, and I would never find Jingles!”

“Wait, all the Alolan Pokémon in your town are gone? They’ve all been stolen?”

“Yeah,” the kid nodded, “it’s like that in the surrounding towns too. Only the Alolan Pokémon were stolen, and now they’re all gone.”

_All the Alolan Pokémon inland were abducted? But Phantom said they were stopping the smugglers outside of the city. Were those Pokémon stolen again?_ “Did anyone have their stolen Pokémon returned to them, only for the Pokémon to get stolen again?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

_This is much worse than I thought it was. Despite DICE’s best efforts, the Pokémon they rescued were stolen as soon as they were returned home. Almost as if the smugglers realized some of their comrades had been stopped and returned to steal the Pokémon again. If what this kid is saying is true, then we’re going to start seeing more instances of stolen Alolan Pokémon in Litra as the traffickers move west._ Shuichi was suddenly overcome with the crushing realization that the Pokémon he had rescued weeks ago were most likely stolen just as soon as they were saved. _I hope Mister Komaeda keeps a close eye on Joy._

“Look,” the kid spoke up, catching Shuichi’s attention, “I have to get going.”

“No,” Shuichi grabbed his shoulders, “you are making a huge mistake. You need help.”

“No, I have to do this on my own.”

“All you’re going to do is end up dead in some ditch!” Shuichi shouted. He didn’t want to be so blunt, but he knew the kid wasn’t going to listen to reason. “Your recklessness will get you killed and Jingles will be all alone! Is that what you want!?”

“I…” the tears finally started falling, sliding down the kid’s face. “I just want Jingles back.”

“Then let us help you.” Finally, it looked like his words had an effect. The kid started crying, causing Lumine and Scout to attempt to comfort him. Through the boy’s sobs, Shuichi could hear his repeated wishes to have his Pokémon back. “I’m going to take you back to the police station now.” The kid nodded, sniffling and walking beside Shuichi without arguing.

“Masaru Daimon,” he suddenly said.

“What?” 

“My name. It’s Masaru Daimon.”

“Okay Masaru. Don’t worry, I’ll speak on your behalf.”

“What does that mean?’

“It means I’ll explain why you’re here and convince them to help you find Jingles instead of just sending you home.” That seemed to placate Masaru enough to stop crying. The walk to the station consisted of Masaru telling Shuichi about his hometown, his friends and family, and his adventures with Jingles. He was so lively recounting stories of exploring the forests and traversing over rivers, all in preparation for the day he knew he would leave with Jingles and journey across the regions to become a Pokémon Master.

“Did you always want to be a detective? You never wanted to go on a Pokémon journey?” Masaru asked Shuichi.

“I was never one for battling much. The detective thing just kind of happened. It started with me helping my uncle at the agency and I guess it suited me. It’s not like I’m unhappy with my choice, and my uncle made it perfectly clear I always had a choice.”

“A Pokémon journey is my choice, but my parents don’t want me to leave.”

“Why? They want you to pursue a different profession?”

“No, they’ve always encouraged me. They would always cheer when I participated in local tournaments. I think they’re worried about me traveling far from home.” Thankfully, Masaru didn’t try to bolt once they reached the station. He placidly went inside and took a seat near the receptionist, who Shuichi asked to alert Takaaki. The cop himself still didn’t betray any emotion when he walked out and saw Masaru had returned.

“Hello, Officer Ishimaru. I found Masaru near the promenade and brought him back,” Shuichi explained.

“Hmph, so his name is Masaru?” said Takaaki.

“Yes and…” Shuichi struggled to properly explain the situation, “okay, look. He’s from a town inland and he came here because his Pokémon was stolen. He has a Jangmo-o named Jingles and he followed the smugglers who stole him. He broke into the agency because he saw we raided the docks and hoped Jingles was one of the Pokémon we rescued.”

Takaaki’s expression still didn’t change. He scrutinized Masaru, who boldly stared back without breaking eye contact. “That’s rather foolish. A perfect way to get yourself killed.”

“Shuichi already ran that by me,” Masaru snapped. “So what if I’m an idiot? At least I’m an idiot with a goal.”

“That can be even worse. Are you going to give us enough information so we can contact your parents?”

“Well,” Masaru slouched in his chair, “I guess they’re probably worried about me, but I want it made perfectly clear that even if they force me to come home, I’ll just run away again. I’m not stopping until I find Jingles.” 

Takaaki didn’t respond to those terms and let Masaru be led off by another officer to call his parents. “Foolish kid, but he has heart.”

“That’s why I’m worried about him,” Shuichi replied. “And I’m pretty sure he’ll hold true to his threat. If his parents force him home, he’ll just escape again and come back. I would rather he stay here in Litra than try to make the journey alone again.”

“I had no intention of letting him travel alone,” said Takaaki. “And I agree with what you’re saying: he’ll just leave again. If he can manage to convince his parents, I’ll watch out for him. My son’s room is empty, so he can stay in there.”

“Oh… I was not aware you had a son.”

“He’s gone now.” Shuichi was about to offer his condolences, convinced by Takaaki’s phrasing that his son was dead, but the officer continued speaking. “He moved to Alola at the beginning of the year. My wife will enjoy having a child in the house again; although, this kid is much more energetic than Kiyotaka was as a child. You can go home,” Takaaki offered. “We’ll handle things from here.”

When he had first walked Masaru in, Shuichi would have refused to leave the station until he knew the boy’s wishes would be upheld. Now that he discovered Takaaki sympathized with Masaru and was willing to help him, he felt comfortable leaving the boy in the officer’s care. With nothing left for him to do, Shuichi left the police station, deciding the promenades were too far to stop by the bakery and started heading home instead. His trek was interrupted by his cell phone ringing. He took it out of his pocket, expecting it to be his aunt wondering where he was, but found that supposition to be wrong.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Hey Shuichi!” Kaede chirped happily. “Are you free for a movie tomorrow?”

Looking back on the stressful day he’d had, relaxing with a friend was a perfect choice. From the raid last night, to discovering Masaru, to almost getting mauled by Mosaic, he needed this more than anything.

“Yes, I’m free for tomorrow,” he responded with a smile.


	5. In the Yakuza's Favor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After learning the warehouse is scheduled to be demolished, Shuichi turns in his favor to the Kuzuryu Clan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia, Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 5: In the Yakuza’s Favor

After a bout of random insomnia the night before, Shuichi wasn’t in the best mood as he stalked through the agency towards the break room for some coffee. There was a group congregating in there and talking about random subjects, but Shuichi didn’t have the energy to join them quite yet. He snagged an empty mug and filled it with fresh coffee from the pot. Jun tried to engage him, but Shuichi held up a hand to his face while he took a sip of the drink.

“I love it when you’re sleep-deprived, you’re so sassy,” Jun laughed.

“Sorry,” Shuichi apologized, feeling the hot drink settle in his stomach. “What were you saying?”

“I said a historic monument is scheduled to be torn down.”

“I better alert Kiyo,” Shuichi responded.

“Not historic to the city, Jun’s just being an idiot,” said one of their colleagues. “That warehouse where you busted those two traffickers is scheduled to be torn down.”

“It’s historic to us! Shuichi’s first bust, and they’re tearing it down!” Jun argued back. 

“Wait. Warehouse?” Shuichi’s brain struggled to jumpstart.

“Yeah, the one where you caught those two traffickers about a month ago. The property belongs to the city of Litra and I guess they’ve decided to tear it down.”

“Good for them, it’s an eyesore,” Shuichi murmured while sipping his coffee. He wandered out of the break room to his desk. The caffeine was getting the gears turning and he contemplated what Jun just told him. _The warehouse is getting torn down. The warehouse where I caught those traffickers. The warehouse where I found Mosaic. The warehouse where Mosaic still is._ His eyes widened when a coherent thought stuck in his mind.

_They’re tearing down the warehouse where Mosaic is hiding._

_…well shit._

*

“What am I going to do?” Shuichi paced frantically back and forth in his room. Lumine and Scout were both sitting on his bed, watching him pace. “If they tear down the warehouse, they’ll find Mosaic. Or he could be killed by debris! I have to move him, but where could I take him!?”

He wasn’t even sure if Mosaic trusted him enough to be moved. They had made a great amount of progress over the last couple of weeks. Mosaic was okay with him walking into his space and picking up the food and water bowls. Once they reached that level of comfort, he untied the baseball from the rope and gave it to Mosaic as a toy, which the Pokémon appeared to enjoy. They hadn’t reached a level of comfort that included physical contact and Shuichi wasn’t sure if he would be able to coax Mosaic out of the cell. Even if he could, he did not have confidence in his ability to convince Mosaic to not run for it the second he was free. In addition to that, he needed something to transport Mosaic in and some place to take him to. The warehouse was scheduled to be demolished in a week. He had until then to figure something out.

First thing’s first, he needed to find somewhere he could take Mosaic to that was isolated and large enough to give him ample space. He was panicking, and in his haste to sit at his desk and start searching on his laptop, he nearly missed his chair and scrambled for a grip, knocking several items of his workspace. Groaning in frustration, he started picking the items up and randomly stacking them, promising himself he would organize them later when he wasn’t frazzled, when he spotted something glimmering on his rug. He picked it and held it close, recognizing the engraving of the Mega Salamence. It was the Kuzuryu coin Hajime had gifted him two months ago.

“Good for one favor,” Shuichi mumbled to himself, tracing the design with his finger. _What if—?_ No, he had gotten himself into enough trouble. He didn’t need to add consorting with the yakuza to the laundry list of things he’d messed up recently. But… he was desperate. It wasn’t like the Kuzuryu Clan would turn him into the police. 

“I’m turning in my favor,” he whispered, holding the coin in his clenched fist. “I want a place to keep a Pokémon who needs my help safe.”

*

Once it became clear the agency was Shuichi’s future, Uncle Jiro drove him around the city to point out some important landmarks. One such location was known as the Kuzuryu Compound. Local law enforcement’s relationship with the Kuzuryu Clan was an odd one. Unlike some of the horror stories Shuichi had heard about other yakuza clans, the Kuzuryus were relatively tame. They weren’t trafficking drugs, humans, or Pokémon, nor were they known for shooting people in the head. They did rough some people up, but other than that were known to lay low and not rear their heads too often. Because of that, the precinct and the agency tended to look the other way to not agitate them, despite their base of operations being well-known.

And so, on the morning of his day off, Shuichi nervously gripped the strap of his bag while staring at the retrofitted office building the served as the front of the compound. The compound itself was on a street corner and consisted of the office building, a large courtyard behind it with a driveway on the side to enter it, and an L-shaped warehouse that partially bordered one half of the courtyard. There was an intimidating stone wall blocking any open portions, expect for an iron gate at the driveway. On the surface, the building didn’t look all that intimidating, but Shuichi knew the truth about what lay inside. He exhaled a couple times, trying to pull together some of that reckless courage Uncle Jiro had mentioned, and climb the short flight of stairs to the front door. There was a brass knocker on the door which unexpectedly slammed down on the wood and echoed into the quiet air. Shuichi flinched at the noise and waited, Lumine and Scout standing at attention by his feet. He must have waited nearly five minutes before realizing no one was coming.

_Are none of them in there?_ he wondered. This was just their base of operations; the clan members had their own places of residence in the city. Had he somehow managed to time his visit with a timeslot when no one was in the building? Feeling anxious but not willing to leave without ensuring his favor was at least heard, he walked around the side of the building to the driveway. The iron gate was shut but wasn’t locked; Shuichi was able to push it open enough to let himself and his Pokémon through before politely shutting it again. His shoes clicked against the stone, footsteps echoing throughout the courtyard. There were some flowerbeds on the edges of the courtyard that were meticulously maintained, but no one was around. He was about to call out but noticed one of the shutter doors of the warehouse was open. 

“Hello?” he called softly into the warehouse. His voice echoed around him as he stepped inside. “My name is Shuichi Saihara; I was granted a favor by one of your clan members and I’m here to turn it in.”

The warehouse was empty, but he saw a door leading to a block of office space along the back wall. He started walking towards it, thinking maybe they were having a meeting out here instead of in the office building and that’s why they didn’t answer. He barely touched the doorknob when a deep growl made him freeze. A pair of deep red eyes were glittering in the dim lighting. Another growl sent a shudder through his body as a hulking creature stepped out of the shadows. He barely had time to register its presence before it charged at him. Lumine barked and leapt at the Pokémon, sinking his teeth into its arm. It flung him off without a second thought, his Bite attack having barely done any damage. Shuichi was knocked to the floor and a large foot planted itself down on his chest.

_How many times is this going to happen to me?!_ When it lowered its head to glare at him, he was finally able to see it was a Haxorus. A _shiny_ Haxorus, whose normally musty-yellow armor was dark gray to match the black of the rest of its body. It flicked its tail back and forth, and Shuichi was able to spy Scout clinging to the tail with his teeth.

“Who are you?” The voice was smooth and almost sent chills down his spine. There was suddenly a young man looking down on Shuichi. He had long black hair that looked as long as Maki’s. He also had deep, blood-red eyes like his Haxorus. He was intimidating in every way possible, but… there was something familiar about him. Something in his face.

“Who are you?” the figure repeated a little more firmly.

“M-m-my name is Sh-Shuichi Saihara,” Shuichi stammered. “I’m here t-to turn in a favor.”

The man’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Who gave you the favor?” The Haxorus pressed a little more weight on Shuichi’s ribs, making it more difficult for him to breathe.

“Hajime Hinata! I rescued Nagito Komaeda’s Alolan Vulpix and Mister Hinata gave me a coin from the clan leader!” That appeared to have been the correct answer. The man’s eyes widened in realization and he snapped his fingers, causing the Haxorus to lift its foot. Scout let go of the Haxorus’ tail and rushed to stand between Shuichi and their assailants. Lumine looked a little disoriented after having been thrown, but he was running over as best he could.

“Stay here,” the man ordered. He didn’t even need to say it; the Haxorus leering at Shuichi was enough to get him to stay still. The man didn’t take long, returning about two minutes later and gesturing for Shuichi to follow him to the office building. Shuichi felt his anxiety swallowing him as he walked across the courtyard, worrying that there were yakuza members hiding throughout the compound that he couldn’t see. 

The inside of the office building looked like it had been decorated by an interior designer. He could hear faint voices and footsteps, leaving him wondering why no one had answered the door if they were obviously here. The long-haired man gave him a gentle push to move him toward the elevator. He returned his Haxorus to its Pokéball and stepped into the elevator. Shuichi joined him, glancing down to make sure Lumine and Scout were still beside him. The man pressed the button for the third floor; the ensuing elevator ride was awkwardly silent, Shuichi nervously wringing the strap of his bag. The door opening on the third floor was almost like a breath of fresh air. A long hallway greeted them with a fancy black door at the end. It looked as if there might have once been doors on both sides of the hallway, but the floor had been remodeled to remove them and patch the walls. The man knocked on the intimidating door once before opening it, waving Shuichi inside.

The room was well-lit with a hanging chandelier. A chair that resembled a throne with a blood-red rug leading up to was in front of them. A Honchkrow was perched on the top of the chair, observing Shuichi with interest. A young man sitting in the throne caught Shuichi attention. He was wearing a black suit, had short-cropped blonde hair, and a very youthful face, almost like Phantom. However, there was something in his expression that demanded respect. He also had a black eye patch over his right eye.

_Is this the head of the clan? He looks so young_. A growl from the left drew Shuichi’s attention and he had to swallow a yelp of surprise. The largest, most daunting Salamence Shuichi had ever seen was sitting on its own sort of throne-perch, leering at Shuichi with a critical eye.

“Izuru tells me you are here to turn in your favor. You are Shuichi Saihara, yes?” said the young man on the throne.

“Y-yes. Are you…?”

“I am Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, head of the Kuzuryu Clan.”

Shuichi bowed his head to show respect. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the coin. “I was given this by Hajime Hinata—” The coin was suddenly snatched from his hand by the Honchkrow, who returned to its perch and dropped the coin into Fuyuhiko’s hand.

“Yes,” Fuyuhiko held the coin up to the light, “I gave permission for Hajime to do so. He was very grateful for your rescue of Nagito’s Vulpix. I’ve been told you are a detective; so, what do you need from the yakuza?”

“Um,” Shuichi found his words failing him. He glanced around the room nervously, eyeing the Salamence. “I need… a safe place,” he struggled to spit out.

The awkward silence was broken by Fuyuhiko letting out a laugh. “What did you do? Break the law? Kill someone?”

“No! Nothing like that! It’s not for me!”

“Taking the fall for someone? Pretty fucking stupid if you ask me.”

“No!” Shuichi shouted. The long-haired man ( _Izuru?_ ) took a step forward as a warning, reminding Shuichi to show respect. “When I rescued Mister Komaeda’s Vulpix, I found an entire group of stolen Pokémon in a warehouse. But… there was a hidden cell under the warehouse as well. There was something down there, something… I don’t even know his true name, but I call him Mosaic. I think he’s either an artificial Pokémon or a newly discovered one. The thieves chained him in the underground cell. I’ve been taking care of him and slowly gaining his trust, but the warehouse is scheduled to be demolished. I need to move him, or he’ll be discovered.”

“So, your favor is you wish for a safe place to take this Pokémon?” said Fuyuhiko.

“Yes.”

Fuyuhiko appeared to be thinking this information over, one hand gently grazing his eye patch. Shuichi glanced up at the Honchkrow to try and distract his nerves. _Honchkrow evolves from Murkrow, right? Using a Dusk Stone. Wait…_ When he had met Nagito, the man had been reserving a Dusk Stone at the Stone Emporium for a friend’s birthday when Joy was stolen. _Was Kuzuryu the friend? Was that Dusk Stone bought so that he could evolve his Murkrow?_

“What do you know about this Pokémon?” Fuyuhiko asked.

“Not much. Like I said, I think he’s either a new discovery or new creation. I can only tell you what I’ve observed,” Shuichi replied.

“Do you know what elemental type it is?”

“No.”

“What attacks it can use?”

“No. He did lunge at me when I fell into the cell.”

“Any abilities?”

“No.”

Fuyuhiko narrowed his gaze. “You know nothing about this creature and you want me to risk my resources and my clan members’ safety to move it? I don’t think so; I've been through that before. Request denied.”

“Please!” Shuichi shouted, spooking Fuyuhiko. Shuichi dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the floor. “I don’t know what he’s been through, but it must have been horrific. He’s chained in an underground cell with no light. There’s a helmet encasing his entire head. I want to save him.”

“Fuyuhiko.” The new voice came from behind Shuichi. He lifted his head to turned to see who had spoken. Given he hadn’t heard the door open, it was likely the woman leaning against the wall had been there the entire time. She had silver hair pulled into two braids and bright red eyes. She also had a large sword on her back. She walked across the room and approached Fuyuhiko. “May I speak with you privately?”

Fuyuhiko nodded and signaled Izuru to leave the room with Shuichi. The door itself must have been sound-proof, or the two still inhabiting the room were speaking softly. Shuichi exhaled slowly, trying to calm his nerves. This wasn’t going as well as he had hoped. Lumine suddenly barked, drawing his attention. Both Lumine and Scout had run down the hallway and were sniffing at a Vulpix and Alolan Vulpix.

_Is that—?_

“Shuichi?” Nagito and Hajime stood at the end of the hallway, having just exited the elevator. Nagito looked happy to see him, while Hajime just looked confused. “What are you doing here?” Hajime asked.

“He’s turning in his favor,” Izuru said before Shuichi could reply. “He wants us to move a Pokémon chained in a basement.”

“I’m sorry. _What?_ ” said Hajime.

“’Chained in a basement?’” Nagito looked appropriately horrified. “Why is it there?”

“I’m not too sure about the specific reason why,” Shuichi explained. “I found him when I rescued Joy. He was chained up by the same thieves who stole her. I think he might be either a new discovery or an artificial Pokémon. He’s chained in an underground cell that you can access through a hidden hatch. The warehouse is going to be demolished at the end of the week, so I have to move him, or he’ll be discovered… or,” he gulped, “killed.”

“Why can’t you just take him home? Your family would understand, wouldn’t they?” Nagito suggested.

“He’s not exactly people-friendly. Also, I’m worried someone would report us. Not my uncle, he wouldn’t. But if someone happened to see Mosaic and freaked out—he doesn’t look very pretty.”

“So, your favor is to give him sanctuary?” Nagito’s eyes seemed to shimmer. “How noble! How selfless! You embody the hope that will lead your peers to the future!”

“Calm down,” Hajime said in a firm tone, gripping Nagito’s shoulder. “What did Fuyuhiko say?”

“He said he wouldn’t risk your safety,” said Shuichi. “But then some woman with silver hair asked to speak with him privately.” Nagito and Hajime exchanged a glance, and both smiled in a knowing way. “Can I be serious with you two? You don’t look like what I expected yakuza members to look like.”

“What do you think we look like?” Nagito asked. Shuichi glanced to the side at Izuru and subtly cocked his head in the long-haired man’s direction.

“Izuru is Izuru,” Hajime said indifferently. “Besides, the Kuzuryu Clan… we tend to keep to ourselves. So maybe we’re not your typical yakuza, but we’re still not to be taken lightly.”

“Yeah, from what I know, the local precinct has an out-of-sight out-of-mind relationship with you guys.”

“Kind of,” Hajime shrugged. “We’re actually friends with a couple of them. We also have friendly relations with some agents of the International Police.”

“Really!?”

“We’re not into too many illegal operations. We do some information gathering for them that they’re not legally capable of doing.”

“Information gathering…” Shuichi repeated softly to himself. He spun around when the door opened, the silver-haired woman beckoning him back into the room. Shuichi took his position in front of the throne once more, Izuru, Nagito, and Hajime standing behind him. Lumine and Scout flanked him on either side.

“After much deliberation,” Fuyuhiko glanced at the silver-haired woman, “I have decided to consider—”

“Fuyuhiko,” the silver-haired woman said in a warning tone, inciting Nagito and Hajime to chuckle softly.

“Fine, we’ll help,” he grouched.

“You will!?” Shuichi cheered. 

“We need as much information as you can give us about this creature, so we can assess what we will need and how to go about transporting it.”

“I have a picture. You can at least see what he looks like.” Shuichi pulled his phone out and looked through his gallery. He found one of the better pictures of Mosaic, the Pokémon lying on his nest in profile. It gave a good idea of his size and what he looked like. “Here,” he passed the phone to Fuyuhiko. The yakuza boss looked at the picture, his eye slightly widening as he scrutinized the image. “I know, he’s kind of shocking to look at.”

The silver-haired woman stood beside Fuyuhiko so she could look at the picture over his shoulder. “That helmet… what’s it made of?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never even touched it.”

“If he’ll let us investigate it, we might be able to find a way to remove it. But the question is: why was it put on him to begin with?”

“I don’t know. He is volatile, so maybe they put it on him to prevent him from biting them? He can still claw you though.”

“Have you not been able to find any information about what he might be?”

“I haven’t. I thought he kind of looked like an Arceus. Other than that, he doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen. Hajime said you guys do information-gathering for some agents of the International Police. Have you heard of anything like him?”

Fuyuhiko frowned, flicking his gaze briefly at Shuichi. “He doesn’t look natural. I think he’s artificial.”

Shuichi nodded in agreement. “Hey, can I ask you something? Do you know anything about something called Beast Killer?” Based on how Fuyuhiko flinched, he already had his answer.

“Why do you want to know?” 

“One of the thieves mentioned it. He said they were stealing the Alola Pokémon to return them to the islands because they would be safe there. A demon is going descend upon us and the Beast Killer would protect them in Alola. I asked one of my friends about it. He knows a lot about mythology and folklore, and he didn’t know anything about it. He said it might be a modern legend unfolding before us.”

“And why is this important to you?”

“If Beast Killer and the demon are the driving forces behind the traffickers’ actions, then I want to know as much about them as possible. If I can understand the motivations behind the trafficking ring, maybe I can stop them. One of my friends is from Alola; she said the demon sounds like a forgotten story she heard from her grandmother: the Pillager of Light. But she, like my folklore friend, didn’t know anything about Beast Killer.”

Fuyuhiko narrowed his eye at Shuichi. “Do you really want to know?”

“So, you do know something!”

Fuyuhiko chuckled. “I guess it’s better that you know if you’re going to be involved. You don’t need to go looking for Beast Killer. You’ve already found it.”

“I… I have?”

Fuyuhiko held up the phone so Shuichi was looking directly at the picture of Mosaic. “This creature is known as Type: Null, codenamed: Beast Killer.”

Shuichi froze up, gaping humorously at the phone screen. “You… you’re kidding, right?”

“Nope,” Fuyuhiko tossed the phone to Shuichi underhanded, the latter fumbling to catch it. “You’ve got yourself one genuine Beast Killer right there.”

“So, he’s an artificial Pokémon? Do you know who created him?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Fuyuhiko replied. The silver-haired woman jerked her head slightly, so subtle that Shuichi almost missed it. “What I can tell you is that he was created to be a weapon, to defeat and dominate powerful Pokémon, hence the name: Beast Killer.”

“A weapon?” Shuichi stared sadly at the picture.

“Listen, sit down with Nagito and Hajime and have a brainstorm session,” said Fuyuhiko. “They’ll report back to me and we’ll get every sorted out. I approve your favor; we will give sanctuary to— what did you name him— Mosaic?”

“Thank you,” Shuichi bowed his head again, allowing himself to be escorted out by Nagito and Hajime. Once the room was empty of visitors, Fuyuhiko braced himself for an inevitable commentary.

“Fuyuhiko, why didn’t you tell him the truth?” said the silver-haired woman. “We know who created Type: Null. We know it’s a weapon, although exactly what it’s meant to fight is still a mystery, unless this Pillager of Light creature is real.”

“I don’t want to overwhelm him. I also need to make sure he can be trusted with the information. For right now, let him believe he can befriend it.”

"Just because something was created to destroy doesn't mean it can't be befriended. You and I know that better than anyone. 'Beast Killer', 'weapon,' these are just titles; they don't mean anything," she stated firmly.

Fuyuhiko pulled out his own cell phone and entered his contacts menu. He held the phone to his ear, counting the rings until someone picked up. “Hello Makoto? I’ve got some news about the missing Type: Null. It’s been found and removed from her agents’ safekeeping. Its existence is still a secret. By the end of the week, it will be in our custody. We’ll keep it safe until you and Kyoko are able to come claim it. By the way, do you know anything about a forgotten Alolan legend concerning the Pillager of Light?”

*

“I wonder why he changed his mind,” Shuichi pondered out loud. “That woman must have said something very convincing.” 

“That was Peko, she’s his wife,” Hajime replied. “What did you say before she spoke up?”

“I begged him to reconsider. I talked about how Mosaic’s locked in a cell with no sunlight and has a helmet locked around his head.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” said Nagito.

“What do you mean?”

“Pokémon have always been Peko’s soft spot. When you talked about Mosaic suffering, she empathized immediately,” Nagito explained.

“How did she convince him though?” Shuichi asked.

“She’s his wife,” Hajime laughed. “All she did was invoke the power of ‘do-it-or-we’re-sleeping-in-separate-beds-tonight.’”

“ _How?_ ” Shuichi said doubtfully. “He’s a _yakuza boss._ ”

“And she’s his _wife._ They have a loving relationship built on mutual respect. Now then, if you’d please join us so we can discuss the plan for Mosaic.” Hajime led him back to the courtyard, procuring a table and a couple chairs from the warehouse. While Shuichi, Nagito, and Hajime settled into the chairs, Lumine, Scout, Hope, and Joy began chasing each other around. Izuru purposefully walked away, leaving the three of them and their Pokémon in the courtyard.

“I feel like he doesn’t like me,” Shuichi noted.

“Who? Izuru? Nah, he’s just kind of like that. Trust me, I’ve known him my whole life,” said Hajime.

“Childhood friends?”

“No, he’s my twin brother.” That odd feeling of familiarity Shuichi had when he saw Izuru’s face suddenly made sense. Izuru and Hajime greatly resembled one another in their facial features, but, other than that, they were very different. “So, any ideas on what Mosaic will need?”

“He definitely needs a bigger space; one where he isn’t chained and can run around. And he needs access to light.”

“How about a dirt plot?” Nagito suggested. “I’m guessing his life has been mostly spent in laboratories. He’ll still need to remain hidden indoors, but it would be nice for him to experience some part of nature. We could dig into the floor.”

“Um,” Shuichi sounded uncertain, “that sounds sort of complicated.”

“Not to worry,” Hajime reassured him, “we can do it. Now, as for moving him.”

“He’s chained to the wall by one chain on the back of his helmet, and two separate chains shackled to his front legs. The hatch is in the back room of the warehouse and there’s a steep wooden staircase leading into the cell. We would need to cut the chains, get him up the stairs, out of the warehouse without him bolting, and into a car of some kind.”

“I’ve got an idea of how we could go about doing that,” said Hajime. “We’ll get the arrangements set up, you just work on keeping Mosaic calm in your presence. We’ll contact you when everything is ready to go.”

“Okay, but remember, the warehouse is getting demolished on Saturday. We need to get him out before then.” Shuichi rose out of his chair, ready to leave with the assurance that the Kuzuryu Clan would get everything. 

“Wait,” Nagito stopped him, “join us for lunch. Since we’ll be moving Mosaic here, we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other. Might as well become more properly acquainted.”

“Hang on, we’re going to move Mosaic here?”

“Where did you think we were moving him?” Hajime asked. “We don’t exactly have hidey-holes throughout Litra. Besides, our facilities here are the best for tending to his needs. One of our clan members is a nurse, another is a breeder who has a knack for soothing aggressive Pokémon. I think he’ll be okay.”

“Okay.” But Shuichi still sounded unsure of himself. _So, we’re moving Mosaic here, huh? That’s… okay. That’s just fine. That’s great even! Mosaic will have the care he needs, and I can visit him without worrying about anyone seeing me and getting curious. Most of the citizens aren’t aware of the true nature of this compound, so I would just need to be aware of any local law enforcement seeing me._

“Join us!” Nagito insisted. “Do you have any favorite place you like to eat? We’re always open to new eateries.”

_Looks like I don’t have a choice,_ Shuichi relented.

*

The call came Friday night, right after Shuichi finished dinner with his aunt and uncle. His heart nearly stopped when his phone buzzed. When he didn’t recognize the number, he surmised it was either one of the clan members alerting him that it was time to move Mosaic or Phantom alerting him to trafficking activity. Given that tomorrow was demolition day, he was certain this phone call was the Kuzuryu Clan.

“Hello?”

“You ready?” It was Hajime.

Shuichi exhaled slowly. “As I’ll ever be.”

“Meet us down at the warehouse; we won’t start without you. We’ll be waiting.”

_This is it, the moment of truth_. Shuichi picked up his bag, having packed it with some protective gear he had borrowed from Ryoma’s gym (with the full intention of returning, by the way!). He was taking Lumine and Scout in their Pokéballs, ready to release them in case of an emergency but preferring they stay out of the way. Besides, the clan members would probably have their own Pokémon. At least, he was hoping they would. No doubt their Pokémon would be much stronger and more imposing than his own were. They would at least stand a chance against Mosaic if he chose to attack.

Uncle Jiro was in his home office, a remodeled spare bedroom downstairs, while Aunt Ayame was cleaning up the dishes from dinner before settling down with her novel. Since he would soon turn ninteen in a couple weeks, Shuichi had every right to come and go as he pleased as a legal adult; however, given he was an employee of Jiro’s and had been under his aunt and uncle’s care for the past twelve years, he felt awkward of just leaving without giving notice or telling them where he was going. He didn’t like sneaking around, but it was best to leave his family out of this mess. How could he explain that not only was he taking care of a living weapon, but also fraternizing with the yakuza? If Jiro wasn’t already fretting about Shuichi’s safety, he would have an aneurysm if he knew the truth of what his nephew had been up to. Shuichi almost made it to the front door when two pairs of judging eyes halted him. His uncle’s Umbreon and aunt’s Espeon were sitting on the backrest of the couch, staring at him.

“Don’t give me that look!” he whispered. “I’ll be back soon. They’ll just think I’m up in my room.” They both narrowed their eyes to show their displeasure. “Please, I’m helping a Pokémon in need. You can understand that, right?” Both pricked their ears. “And I promise I’ll be safe. I have some very capable helpers. So, this will just be our little secret, okay?” He managed to slip out the front door without further incident. He unleashed Lumine and Scout from their Pokéballs, so they could walk beside him. 

“Your parents need to get off my back,” Shuichi joked to Scout. The walk was peaceful; the night air was a little crisp despite it still being August. There wasn’t a cloud in the night sky and the stars were glimmering brightly. It made him think of Kaito and Nebula. After the news had been put out about the successful rescue and the owners reunited with their Pokémon, Kaito brought the little starcloud back, but no one ever claimed him. Once again, ownership of Nebula seemed to automatically pass to Kaito; although, he never did use a Pokéball to catch Nebula.

_Or should I say Nebby?_ he mentally snickered. After it became clear Nebby, like Comet, didn’t have an owner and was most likely pilfered from the islands by poachers, brought to the mainland to sell, and was somehow picked up by the traffickers, Shuichi had called Kaito to ask how Nebula was settling in.

“Nebby’s fine. His Teleport can be a bit of a hassle though,” Kaito had commented.

“Nebby? I thought his name was Nebula,” Shuichi had said in reply.

“Kaede got to him. His name is Nebby now.”

It was nice to know Nebby was settling in with Kaito and his Pokémon. As for the other Pokémon, Shuichi had given special instructions to each owner to better ensure the Pokémon were not stolen again. He specified they keep their Pokémon close, maybe even get them bands, bracelets, or collars that had tracking chips like Hope and Joy have. He was hoping to see none of those Pokémon again, because it meant they were still home, safe and sound.

He collected his bearings as he approached the warehouse. Once the warehouse was within his sight, he spied a truck sitting in the lot. It was a box truck, just like what the traffickers used. He would have panicked, believing the traffickers had returned, but he saw Hajime lazing in the driver’s seat, the door hanging open. Shuichi approached, looking around to see if anyone else was there. That answer came in the form of two figures stepping out from behind the truck.

“Nice to see you again, Shuichi,” Hajime greeted him. “Allow me to introduce Nekomaru Nidai and Akane Owari.”

“Nice to meet’cha!” said the man in such a deep, booming voice Shuichi was worried everyone in the city block had heard it. He was a huge man, his well-developed muscles bulging so much his poor straining shirt looked ready to give up and rip itself to pieces. “The name’s Nekomaru. You must be the detective who saved Joy.”

“Um, yeah,” Shuichi couldn’t help but feel intimidated by this man despite his friendly disposition. 

“Hey!” the woman barked. “We doing this or what?” She had wild, curly hair that almost put Gonta’s to shame. Her shirt was also straining, but due to her rather large chest that threatened to pop the buttons holding the shirt together over her breasts. 

_Let’s hope she and Miu never meet._

“Quiet, Akane,” Hajime ordered. “We need to be very cautious. Shuichi, let me give you a rundown of the plan.” He walked back to the driver’s seat and retrieved a Paras, which chose to settle on top of his head. “We’ll have you go down into the cell first. Hopefully, he’ll feel calmer in your presence. But, if he’s perceptive, he’ll probably know we’re here, so don’t try to approach him in case he snaps. I’ll pass Paras down to you and he’ll use Stun Spore to paralyze Mosaic. Akane and I will drop down with these bolt cutters,” he gestured to the tools leaning against in the truck’s wheel. “Unless you think you have the strength to use one of them.”

Shuichi picked up one of the bolt cutters and tested it. “These will cut through chains?”

“Trust me, they will.”

“I’ll… I’ll give it a shot. It might be best that we limit his exposure to strangers.”

“You better give it all your effort. We only have a few minutes to get the chains cut and get him, at least, out of the building. After that, the Stun Spore will wear off.”

“Do you have a more definite idea of how long he’ll be paralyzed?”

“No, Stun Spore isn’t easily predicted, especially since Mosaic will likely be fighting its effects the entire time. Once we have the chains cut— you said there’s a loop on the back his mask?”

“That’s where the chain on the back of his mask is attached.”

“Okay, once we have the chains cut, we’ll attach these chains to the back of the mask.” Nekomaru and Akane held up two separate chains with heavy-duty carabiners attached to the ends. “Once they’re attached, we’ll lift him up the stairs and get him outside. By that time, the Stun Spore will have most likely worn off. Nekomaru and Akane will each take one chain and stand on either side of him. The idea is that if he lunges at one of them, the other will pull him back. We’ll guide him into the truck and lock him in. Then, we’ll drive to the compound. We’ve got some helpers at the compound setting up a path to the room he will be living in.”

“Can you ensure he won’t bolt?”

“We’re using iron grates as a wall. We’re hoping he’ll run straight out of the truck and into the guided path. If not, we’ll have Pokémon standing guard.”

“Make sure they’re fast and speedy. I don’t know the full capacity of his stats.”

“Speed for intercepting him, strength for stopping him,” Hajime replied, flinging two Pokéballs from his belt. A Linoone and a Chesnaught emerged from the Pokéballs, taking in their surroundings. Lumine and Scout approached the Linoone and started sniffing. “Meet Twist and Husker.”

“And we’ve got some extra hands in case Mosaic is stronger than we are,” said Nekomaru. Both he and Akane tossed a Pokéball each, revealing a Sawk and Throh.

Shuichi looked around at all the extra help, grateful that the clan members obviously thought this through. He wondered if they had experience with this sort of thing: moving dangerous Pokémon. Or if they just knew how to think things through. The most dangerous Pokémon he had seen of their teams was Fuyuhiko’s Salamence, and since that Pokémon was his insignia, it was meant to look threatening, but he knew how to control it. There was also Izuru’s Haxorus who could blend into the shadows and emerge without warning. The rest of the Pokémon he had seen so far were relatively normal Pokémon to have. Nagito’s two Vulpix were sort of a curveball for a yakuza member to have, but Nagito wasn’t exactly your typical yakuza member. Throh, Sawk, and Husker looked powerful, but he was sure there was a lot more to Twist than what was on the surface. Out of all the Kuzuryu members he’d met, Fuyuhiko, Izuru, and Nekamaru looked the most intimidating, even if the latter was friendly. Peko might have been intimidating to him if she hadn’t revealed her soft spot and helped him convince Fuyuhiko to help Mosaic. All in all, the Kuzuryu Clan wasn’t what he expected, and, honestly, he didn’t mind being around them. In fact, he felt safe around them.

“Are we ready to get started?” Hajime asked him.

Shuichi took a couple deep breaths and unzipped his bag, pulling out the protective gear he’d borrowed and putting it on over his clothing. He returned Lumine and Scout to their Pokéballs and stepped into the warehouse, the clan members close behind him with their Pokémon waiting outside, except for Paras. The clan members stood away from the hatch and laid down a thick blanket as Shuichi lifted the trapdoor and climbed down, kneeling to turn on the plastic lamp. Mosaic lifted his head and gave Shuichi a quizzical look. Shuichi had never visited this late before, and he worried this break from routine would automatically put Mosaic on edge.

“I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me. Please, everything I’m about to do is for your sake.” Shuichi stood back up and reached up to receive Paras, who was being passed down by Hajime. Mosaic immediately leapt to his feet at the sight of another person. “Please calm down, Mosaic,” Shuichi begged, holding Paras in his hands. The small Pokémon began to shake the mushrooms on top of its head.

“Hold your breath!” Hajime told Shuichi. A cloud of gold spores erupted from Paras’ mushrooms and covered the room. At first, Mosaic looked unsure of what he was seeing, but once Shuichi saw the spore beginning to take effect, the Type: Null began to panic. Mosaic thrashed and bellowed as his limbs grew heavy and he stumbled about. Shuichi struggled to keep his mouth shut and nose plugged, but he was running out of air. Finally, Mosaic collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily.

“Dropping down!” Hajime alerted as he expertly traversed the rickety stairs. “Bolt cutters!” he called up to Nekomaru and Akane, who handed the tools down through the hatch. 

Shuichi set Paras on the floor and took one of the bolt cutters. He and Hajime approached Mosaic cautiously, but when the Pokémon could only barely flick a talon in response, they knew it was safe. While Hajime was able to immediately cut through one of the chain links, Shuichi struggled until he leaned one of the handles against his inner thigh and used both hands to pull the other handle in. It was messy, but it cut through. Hajime cut close to the shackles and was able to unhook them, tossing them across the room.

“All good?” Hajime gave Mosaic a once-over to make sure every chain was cut. “Nekomaru! Akane!” The two waiting up top began climbing down. Hajime grabbed Paras and pulled Shuichi toward the stairs. “We go up,” he instructed. 

“I don’t feel comfortable leaving him,” said Shuichi. 

“We need to be out of the way. They’ll lift him up to the hatch and we’ll pull him onto the blanket,” Hajime explained. Reluctantly, Shuichi scrambled up the stairs and waited. He was amazed that Nekomaru lifted Mosaic all by himself and pushed him up through the hatch opening. Hajime and Shuichi grabbed at Mosaic’s limbs and pulled him onto the blanket. “Okay, everyone take a corner!” 

With Paras safely nestled on Hajime’s head and each of the four of them taking a corner of the blanket, Mosaic was lifted and carried out of the warehouse. They shuffled as fast as they could, but Mosaic was starting to twitch. Had the Stun Spore effected Mosaic long enough, they would have lifted him straight into the truck, but he was fighting it off too quickly for them to not attach the chains in case he broke out later. They set him down as soon as they were outside and snapped the carabiners into the loop at the back of the helmet. Nekomaru and Akane each took a chain and backed away until the chains were pulled tight. It wasn’t far to the truck, but Mosaic was going to make it difficult. With a thrash of limbs, Mosaic shook off the Stun Spore effects and jumped to his feet. He immediately lunged for Akane but was pulled back by Nekomaru. Mosaic roared and turned to lunge at Nekomaru but was pulled back in the opposite direction by Akane. Once he realized what was happening, he barreled forward and tried to drag them behind him. Throh and Sawk leapt in beside their trainers and took a hold of the chains with them. Mosaic strained and panted, talons digging into the cracked pavement, but was inevitably brought to a halt. Hajime rushed to the truck and pushed open the shutter door. Mosaic hissed and howled at the noise and began bucking and leaping into the air. Hajime and Shuichi both pulled the metal ramp out and let it clang onto the pavement. 

“Okay!” Hajime waved at the chain holders. “Start dragging him over.”

Shuichi had never heard anything that even closely resembled the noises coming from Mosaic. The Type: Null threw his head back and forth so violently it was amazing he didn’t snap his own neck due to the weight of his helmet. The chain holders strained to keep him from knocking them off their feet as they moved toward the truck, one step at a time. Twist the Linoone began zipping back and forth in a stress-filled panic. Unfortunately, they would be able to drag him to the top of the metal ramp but couldn’t force him into the truck unless one of them climbed in with him to pull. The treading of the ramp was good for shoe soles to have traction, but not Mosaic’s insectoid forelegs. His talons scraped and scrambled against the ramp for a hold and he found himself unwillingly dragged forward. However, once he reached the top of the ramp, he knew they couldn’t pull him forward anymore because of the edges of the box truck. Once he was there, he slammed to a halt and refused to move.

“Should we stun him again?” Akane asked.

“We might have to, but I’m worried it’s just going to piss him off even more,” said Hajime. “But it also might not affect him as long as it did the first time.”

“We could just shove him in,” Nekomaru suggested. 

Hajime sighed, analyzing the situation. He could have Mosaic stunned again and that would give them enough time to get him into the truck, but it could make him more volatile when they arrived at the compound. The plan was to get him in the room with as little resistance as possible. If he were enraged upon arrival, he might barrel right through the helpers holding the iron grates to guide him on the correct path. He could also stun Mosaic when they arrived, or even put him to sleep using Paras’ Spore attack—

Mosaic shrieked, spooking Hajime so much that Paras nearly fell off his head. The little bug trembled in fear, sharp claws digging into Hajime’s neck. If Paras felt threatened, it could unleash a spore attack and deal damage to all of them.

“Husker!” Hajime ordered. “Push him in!”

Shuichi watched with bated breath as the Chesnaught made his way up the ramp. It would be bad if Mosaic managed to spin around and attack with his talons, so Akane and Nekomaru pulled down on the chains. Mosaic, unwilling to be forced into a lying position, stiffened his limbs against the weight pulling him, preventing him from lashing out against Husker lest he be forced down. Even then, it was obvious both Hajime and Husker were concerned about this approach.

“Wait!” Shuichi was barely aware he had shouted. “I can get him inside. Let him back up to the foot of the ramp.” 

Nekomaru and Akane both looked to Hajime for orders, the latter giving them a nod. Husker jumped off the ramp so Mosaic could back up until he was off the ramp. Shuichi climbed into the back the truck and walked in until his back was pressed against the front-most portion of the cargo hold. _Okay, I can do this._

“Mosaic! Come!” No one moved for a few moments. Somehow, Shuichi could see Mosaic’s steel-gray eyes inside his helmet despite the dim lighting. They made eye contact and held it for a few moments. He couldn’t tell if Mosaic was trying to read him or intimidate him. 

“Mosaic! Come!” he repeated a little more firmly. “I’ll be here with you. The whole ride.” Mosaic continued to stare at him, chest heaving. It happened in an instant; the Type: Null bolted forward, bounding up the ramp and into the back of the box truck. “Close the shutter!” Shuichi shouted once Mosaic was past the opening.

Akane jumped up and snagged the bottom of the shutter, dragging it down with her as she fell. Now it was just him and Mosaic. Locked in the back of a truck. With nowhere to go. The Type: Null stood in the center of the hold, staring at Shuichi with an intensity that caused the young detective to wilt. He slowly slid down the wall and sat on the floor. The truck rumbled to life, causing Mosaic’s entire body to stiffen. The truck lurched forward, almost tipping Mosaic forward. He scrambled for a grip on the metal floor as the truck sped up.

“Hey? You okay back there?” The cab was on the other side of the wall Shuichi had his back against. Hajime must have been shouting to be heard over the engine and through the metal wall. Shuichi didn’t get a chance to respond due to Mosaic rushing forward and slamming his talons against the wall. Shuichi slouched further, dangerously aware that Mosaic was practically straddling him, razor-sharp talons about an inch from his head.

“Um,” Shuichi whimpered, lifting his leg to gently nudge Mosaic’s underbelly with his foot. It was their first physical contact; not what he expected it to be. Mosaic’s head tilted down, as if he hadn’t realized Shuichi was underneath him. He pushed off the wall, balancing on his hind legs before sinking down onto his haunches. Shuichi’s phone began to vibrate; thankfully, Mosaic didn’t hear it over the rumble of the engine. “Hello?” Shuichi whispered.

“Are you okay?” Hajime sounded concerned.

“Yeah, don’t shout though. Mosaic tried to get you through the wall.”

“He hasn’t hurt you, right? I’m not exactly a fan of this plan of yours.”

“We’re fine. I’m sure if things take a turn for the worse… you’ll know. How far is it to the compound?”

“About a ten-minute drive if we go the speed limit and don’t draw the attention of the cops— which I prefer.”

“Okay,” Shuichi ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Mosaic was sitting about three feet away, just staring at him. He swayed with the motion of the truck, never breaking eye contact. Shuichi tried his best to appear nonthreatening, averting his gaze to look around the truck. Mosaic must have acknowledged he wasn’t in danger because he chose to lie down.

_It’s nice you’re relaxed, but you’re about to be very stressed in a couple minutes._ The truck came to a halt and the engine shut off. Both Shuichi and Mosaic were on high alert, the latter clambering to his feet and digging his talons into the metal floor. Shuichi’s phone vibrated again, but Mosaic heard it this time, whirling around to stalk toward Shuichi.

“Easy Mosaic,” Shuichi said in a soothing tone, “it’s alright.” He pulled his phone out and held it up to his ear. “Are we ready to go?”

“Here’s the plan,” said Hajime. “We have helpers out here holding iron grates. They’re lined up to create a fortified path to the room. We’ve got some hooked poles that we’ll use to open the doors. Mosaic will most likely bolt as soon as the doors are open. If he somehow manages to jump over the wall, we’ve got some Pokémon to stop him. Are you ready?”

Shuichi glanced up at Mosaic and saw the two chains Nekomaru and Akane had used to drag him were still attached to his helmet. “Just give me a minute. I’ll signal to you when I’m ready.”

“Okay then,” Hajime replied, ending the call.

Shuichi stood up and purposefully walked toward Mosaic. The Type: Null was apparently baffled by his supposed burst of confidence and took a step back. “I want. To remove. The chains,” Shuichi enunciated slowly, putting both of his hands on the back of his own head to indicate what his intent was. He took another tentative step forward and, when Mosaic didn’t step back or growl, continued taking it one step at a time until he was right in front of Mosaic. He slowly moved his hands to the back of the helmet and unclipped the chains, tossing them behind him. They clanged loudly against the metal floor. 

_I hope no one outside panicked because of that._ He stepped around Mosaic and walked to the door, standing absolutely still. He waited until Mosaic appeared to understand and joined him at the door. Shuichi lifted his hand and reached for the one of the protruding vanes of Mosaic’s collar. The Type: Null growled and turned his head.

“Please,” Shuichi murmured, “don’t fight me on this. I just want what’s best for you.” He gently gripped the vane in his hand. “You ready?”

“Open the door!” Shuichi shouted to the others outside. The second the space between the two doors was wide enough, Mosaic bolted forward so forcefully Shuichi worried his shoulder had been yanked from its socket. Nevertheless, Shuichi was proud of himself for managing to keep up with Mosaic as the Type: Null raced down the ramp and ran along the directed path the clan members and their Pokémon formed with the metal grates as walls. Shuichi finally stumbled forward into a somersault once they crossed the threshold of the door to Mosaic’s new room. 

“Shut it!” someone ordered, the sound of the door slamming shut soon after. 

_That was my exercise for the next week,_ Shuichi mentally groaned.

He gingerly touched his head and blinked a few times to clear up the dizziness, looking around the room. He was amazed and enchanted by what he saw. The room itself was huge with more than enough space for Mosaic to run around. The walls were painted to resemble a forest with thick trees and long grass. Half of the room had been converted into a dirt plot with fresh grass and flowers, just like Nagito suggested. There was a skylight over the dirt plot as well. The other half, the one Shuichi was sitting in, had a smooth stone floor with one of those fancy cushioned Pokémon beds. A rack wired against the walls held some food bowls and what looked like a small fountain built into the floor produced fresh water. Shuichi even saw one of those large Poké Dolls that looked like a Substitute. There were also balls of varying sizes and some strange contraption built into the wall. He approached it to find it was a coarse brush that Mosaic could rub against. 

It was perfect.

“How’s it going?” said Fuyuhiko’s disembodied voice. Shuichi looked around, wondering where the yakuza boss was. “Over here, the vent on the door.” Keeping an eye on Mosaic, who was investigating the dirt plot, Shuichi scooted over to the door.

“This room is amazing. You did all of this for him?”

“Peko insisted,” said Fuyuhiko. 

“I see how he’ll have access to water, but how will he be fed if I can’t come over?”

“The rack holding the bowls can be pulled out from this side of the wall. We can feed him without entering the room if you’re unable to come over. We also have a security camera in the corner. Someone is always here on the compound; he’ll never be unsupervised. We’ll call you if something’s wrong. You ready to come out?”

“Hang on.” Shuichi released Lumine and Scout from their Pokéballs. The two looked around curiously, trying to figure out where they had ended up. Mosaic saw the flashes of light and trotted over to investigate. Lumine and Scout looked uneasy at seeing the intimidating Pokémon now had free-range with nothing holding him back. Mosaic stopped a few feet away to observe them, then inched closer, raising one of his forelegs. Shuichi held his breath as Mosaic got closer until his talons gently tapped Scout on the head and then he turned and galloped away. 

_I don’t believe it… he’s trying to play!_ Scout apparently picked up on that as well because he chased after Mosaic, Lumine joining in as well. The three raced around the room, leaping over one another and tackling the Substitute Poké Doll. _This is great, but we need to get home._

“Lumine! Scout!” he called. “We need to go.” The two obediently trotted over, while Mosaic trailed after them. “Sorry, Mosaic, this is where you live for now. Hopefully, if you continue to improve, maybe one day… I can take you home.” The Type: Null stopped and sat down, watching Shuichi and his Pokémon exit the room.

He recognized some of the people standing outside the room and assumed the rest of them were members of the clan he hadn’t met yet. They were certainly a colorful bunch and what surprised him even more was the variety of Pokémon they had. The Paras who had helped in moving Mosaic was sitting on the head of a young, heavy-set man with a brown pompadour. Peko was holding an Oshawott while a Lucario and Kabutops flanked her and Fuyuhiko. Nekomaru and Akane were there with their Throh and Sawk. Nagito was there but noticeably lacked Hope and Joy, instead crooning over Hajime’s Linoone.

“I’m going to assume you didn’t give yourself an alibi when you left the house?” said Hajime.

“How did you know?”

“Honestly? My observation of your behavior throughout our interactions kind of indicates you have no clue what you’re doing. I’m guessing you’re not used to sneaking around without telling anyone.”

“I’m doing the best I can. I think I’m doing fairly well considering I found an undiscovered, hostile artificial Pokémon chained in a basement.”

“You are,” Peko affirmed, “but it’s probably best you return home if you don’t want to arouse suspicion.”

“You are welcome on the compound when you like,” said Fuyuhiko. “Make sure you use the front door though. We don’t need a repeat of the first time you came here.”

“But I did come to the front door the first time!” Shuichi insisted. “No one answered.”

“There’s a switch hidden in the decorative trim,” Hajime explained. “Hit it and an alarm will chime and alert us. We don’t answer the door if someone knocks. Otherwise, we’d be dealing with solicitors all the time.”

“Okay, and I’m guessing the number you called me from is invalid?”

“Yes, for now.” Hajime’s tone seemed to imply Shuichi might obtain their actual phone numbers in the future.

“Well,” Shuichi looked around to memorize as many faces as he could, “it was nice to meet you all. I hope we see each other in the future.”

Despite it being just as dark out as when he walked to the warehouse, his outlook was much brighter. Mosaic was safe in a place that was much more appealing than the cell. Not only that, but Mosaic allowed Shuichi to touch him and attempted to play with Lumine and Scout. If they continued to make this sort of progress, Shuichi was hopeful Mosaic could be socialized and wouldn’t need to be kept locked in a room. Next item on his list: investigating that helmet. Could it be removed? He knew the perfect person to ask.

*

“I think you’re wrong, Fuyuhiko,” said Nagito. “What we witnessed in that security feed tells the entire story.” Fuyuhiko frowned at him in response.

“I agree with Nagito,” Peko spoke up. “This Type: Null isn’t a living weapon, it’s a living _creature_ with thoughts and feelings. Just like... him.”

“I know you two are sympathizing with this creature, but I can’t make an exception just because Shuichi has befriended it. I acknowledge Mosaic has personal emotions, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that it is still a synthetic creation, designed for the purpose of killing. And it's obviously more feral than who we've dealt with in the past: less intelligent, more savage. It would have been best if Shuichi hadn’t gotten involved to begin with. I feel it’s best we lessen the emotional blow of what’s to come,” said Fuyuhiko.

“Isn’t there some way we could convince them to observe and study Mosaic while he remains here?” Nagito suggested. “Mosaic and Shuichi— neither of them deserve this. And I feel it’s in Mosaic’s best interest they not be separated; they inspire so much hope within one another.”

Fuyuhiko looked around at everyone present and sighed when he saw they all agreed with Nagito. “I’ll negotiate with Kyoko when they show up, but you know how she is.”

“We’ll stand by you,” Hajime stated firmly. "Besides, if _you_ , of all people, can sympathize with an artificial Pokémon, I think she'll make an exception." He gestured to his own right eye, indicating Fuyuhiko's eye patch.

While the others voiced their support and offered ideas of how to negotiate with Kyoko Kirigiri about Mosaic’s future, Izuru silently stared into the security feed, watching Mosaic wander around looking lost. The Type: Null listlessly stalked through the grass, pawed at the Poké Doll, before finally settling into the bed. In Izuru’s opinion, it was obvious based on Mosaic’s body language what the Pokémon was feeling. He and Shuichi already had a bond of familiarity that had been strengthened by tonight’s events.

Mosaic missed Shuichi.


	6. All Quiet on the Western Coast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With no sign of the traffickers’ activities in months, Shuichi grows worried about what is to come and sets out to investigate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia, Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 6: All Quiet on the Western Coast

Shuichi stepped off the sidewalk and was immediately assaulted by a foul aroma of smoke and burning plastic. He was amazed how the Idabashi family dealt with it, figuring they must have all lost their sense of smell. He had taken three steps onto the property when an explosion and shouting rattled his bones. He was seriously beginning to reconsider his choices when the shutter of the garage/workshop was forced up and a person covered is soot came tumbling out.

“Motherfucker!” said the soot-covered person, giving away their identity.

“Hey Miu,” Shuichi waved at her, smiling nervously.

“What’s up, Shoe-itchy?” she responded, standing up and ineffectively patting her clothes to try and knock loose some of the soot. “Hang on, one moment!” she interrupted before Shuichi could say anything else. “Octillery, you lazy shit! You’re supposed to cool the mixture before it gets that volatile! What the hell do I pay you for!?”

“You pay your Pokémon?” Shuichi asked blankly. 

“It’s a figure of speak, you emo bitch!”

Shuichi let out a light growl of frustration. “For the last time, I. Do not. Wear eye-liner! These are my natural eyelashes.”

Miu scoffed indifferently. “Whatever ya say, bitch-baby. So, what brings you ‘round to my neck of the woods?”

“I need to talk with Keebo.” Miu deflated a little once she learned he was visiting to see her brother.

“Fine,” she sounded miffed. “He ran behind the barrier like the coward he is. A true inventor faces every consequence of their genius, even the explosions.”

“Yeah, if they have a death wish,” Shuichi mumbled, following her into the garage.

He vaguely wondered if the garage had always been this way or if it had been a real garage at some point. The walls were covered in hanging tools with work benches lining the walls holding the heavier tools (although a chunk of the missing wall seemed to reveal one of the welding torches had once been mounted on the wall and was too heavy). The metal worktable in the center of the main room was scorched and dented, with what looked like a blast-mark in the center surrounding what remained of a glass beaker. Shuichi glanced at the wall and recoiled in shock at the sight of embedded glass shards. There was a ladder leading up to the attic hatch and a doorway that led into the added compartment at the back of the garage. In front of the doorway was a sheet of metal, aka. “the barrier.” Shuichi heard a wet slapping sound as Miu’s Octillery crawled into the room and eyed Miu’s soot-covered form.

“Lazy shit,” Miu cussed. Any other insults she was going to hurl were halted by a stream of water erupting from Octillery’s mouth nearly drowning her. “Bit of a delayed reaction, wouldn’t ya say!?” she shrilled. 

“Miu,” Keebo peeked around the barrier, having emerged from the compartment, “you need to be more careful when you’re experimenting.”

“I took all the necessary precautions; Octillery was the one who left his post!” Miu crossed her arms and pouted, embarrassed that her failure had been witnessed.

“Hello Shuichi,” Keebo greeted their friend, obviously too used to explosions to be all that worried about his sister’s condition. “What brings you here?”

“I needed to talk with you about something. Privately, please?”

“What, am I not good enough for your super-secret plans!?” Miu complained. “Fine, I’ll need to blow off some of this frustration though. Or should I say ‘blow up?’”

“Miu,” Keebo whined, “please stop.”

“Nuh-uh! You brought this upon yourself! Flaaffy! Relight the fuse!” Miu flounced off, dripping water all over the floor.

Keebo gestured for Shuichi to follow him into the back compartment. Miu appeared to have taken over the main room of the garage, so Keebo claimed the compartment for himself. He had made it clear he didn’t mind the smaller space, especially considering his productions mostly consisted of precise work. Keebo had followed in the footsteps of their father, Professor Idabashi, and mostly worked in robotics; in contrast, Miu had branched out and became an inventor. Wishing to set herself apart, Miu had also taken their deceased mother’s maiden name as a way to keep her memory alive. As far as Shuichi was aware, only a couple of her inventions had been patented and made public, but she was persistent and had countless blueprints and ideas. If her blatant disregard for the explosion was any indication, her spirits could not be dampened.

“What can I help you with?” Keebo pulled up a stepladder for Shuichi to sit on since he only had a single stool in the compartment.

“You need to keep this secret,” Shuichi stated bluntly.

Keebo flinched at his directness. “Um… I’m not the best at lying.”

“It’s not lying, it’s more like… withholding the truth. Can I count on you?”

Keebo sighed, nervously picking at a stray thread on his shirt. “I’ll try my best.”

“Do you remember when I caught those two Pokémon thieves?”

“That was months ago, Shuichi.”

“I know. Well… I found a Pokémon hidden in a secret basement of their hideout. An artificial Pokémon.”

“Is that why you asked about artificial Pokémon at Kiyo’s birthday dinner?” Keebo asked.

“Yes. He’s something completely new. I don’t know who created him, although I do know what their intention was. He has a helmet encasing his entire head. I don’t know what the material is, but I was wondering if you could investigate and see if you could remove it.”

“You have a secret Pokémon? At your house?”

“Umm, no, he’s… well…” Shuichi pulled the brim of his hat down to cover his eyes. “I have him housed somewhere else. Now Keebo, it’s important that no one know about this. They can’t know about the Pokémon or where he is. Do you understand?”

Keebo was looking increasingly more nervous. “Are you in danger?”

“Not really. I once thought I was, but things have settled, and I feel safe with how things are. Keebo, I want to make something perfectly clear: you don’t have to help. If you feel unsafe, I will leave and not push for your help.”

“This sounds serious. So, you’re saying his entire head is encased in a helmet?”

“There’s an opening on the underside so he can eat and drink. Other than that, there’s spaces for his eyes and ears, nothing else. There’s also a collar right underneath it that needs to be removed as well.”

Keebo hummed to himself, but Shuichi knew it was due to anxiety and not contentment. “I… I’ll help. If you think it’s a good idea.”

“My opinion on whether you should or not doesn’t matter. I came to you because I thought you had the best experience.”

“I’ll help,” Keebo repeated more confidently.

“If you’re free now, we can go visit him.”

Given neither of them knew what the helmet was made of, Keebo had to make educated guesses on what tools to bring. He loaded up a bag with what he thought would be good choices and exited the compartment, purposefully not engaging with Miu knowing she would pry for information. She appeared to be occupied anyway with putting on protective equipment for her face and then putting similar gear on her Flaaffy. As they passed by the garage door, Keebo halted and glanced at two Pokéballs. After a moment’s hesitation, he picked them both up and put them in his pockets. Honestly, Shuichi couldn’t blame him. There was no way to predict how Mosaic was going to react to Keebo, so Keebo grabbing his Pokémon just in case was perfectly understandable. The train ride was pleasant, and since it was late in the morning and during the second school term, the train itself wasn’t overly crowded. Shuichi and Keebo were able to snag some seats next to one another without a hassle. 

“Where are we going?” Keebo asked.

“I can’t tell you publicly.”

“Why not?”

Shuichi lowered his voice to a whisper. “I’m worried we’d scare everyone.” That response shut Keebo up but also had the detrimental effect of scaring him even more. “Don’t worry, we’re not in any danger. I was concerned at first, but these people are nice. Just don’t piss them off.”

“What pisses them off!?” Keebo squeaked.

“I don’t know, I haven’t angered any of them. There is one who isn’t very social and will brush you off, but from what I’ve been told, he’s just like that.”

“Is this place the Pokémon Daycare? You make it sound like there’s a group taking care of this Pokémon.”

“Oh, it’s a group all right,” Shuichi murmured. 

Keebo decided not to press him for any more information, but the vagueness wasn’t helping his own anxiety concerning the situation. They exited the train and Keebo followed slightly behind Shuichi as they walked through the streets. For one, he didn’t know where they were going, plus he was a little intimidated by what they were walking into. The streets they were walking on were relatively populated and mostly consisted of store fronts and buildings. Keebo began to relax as they approached an innocuous-looking office building on the street corner. When the building was confirmed to be their destination, he felt even more relaxed until Shuichi began feeling along the decorative trim of the doorway.

“What are you doing?” Keebo asked.

“Secret doorbell,” Shuichi replied. “Kind of like a secret knock for a clubhouse.” He apparently found what he was looking for when he straightened back up and patiently waited for the door to open. They didn’t have to wait long as a man with white, wispy hair answered the door.

“Shuichi!” he said happily, opening his arms like he was going to hug the detective but didn’t make the move to do so. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Nagito, I was here only a couple days ago,” Shuichi responded. 

“Well, I enjoy your company,” Nagito gestured them inside. “And who’s this with you?”

“This is my friend, Keebo. He’s a roboticist. He’s here to look at Mosaic’s helmet.”

“Oh good!” Nagito guided them through the ground floor level and showed them into the courtyard. “Let me know if you need any help.”

“This place is very nice,” Keebo commented. “Who are these people?”

“Um…w-well,” Shuichi stammered.

“Hi!” someone shouted, causing both of them to flinch. Shuichi looked to the side to see Akane approaching. “How’s it going, Swee-chi?”

“Um, it’s Shuichi,” Shuichi corrected her.

“Oh, sorry, I’m bad with names. Who’s this?” she gestured to Keebo.

“This is Keebo.”

“Oh cool!” Akane interrupted before he could say anything else and walked away.

“To answer your question, Keebo,” Shuichi continued, “these people are… well, they’re um… the yakuza,” he mumbled.

“I’m sorry, what!?” Keebo shouted. 

“Quiet! Everything’s okay!” Shuichi assured him. “They’re not your typical yakuza. They’re nice and they helped me when I needed it.”

“Does your uncle know?”

“No, that’s kind of why I needed to swear you to secrecy.”

Keebo took a couple deep breaths and started glancing around as if yakuza members armed with knives and guns were about to leap out at him. Shuichi gently took him by the arm and led him to the warehouse. After checking Mosaic wasn’t close to the door through the vent, Shuichi slipped through, dragging Keebo behind him. He didn’t even have a chance to tell Keebo to stay calm as the other boy let out a panicked shriek. Mosaic stiffened at the sight of a stranger before stalking forward with a growl.

“Mosaic! No!” Shuichi said firmly, stopping the Type: Null in his tracks. “Keebo, it’s okay, calm down.”

“What is that thing!?” Keebo clung to Shuichi like his life depended on it.

“This is Mosaic, he’s the Pokémon you’re here to help.”

Keebo peeked over Shuichi’s shoulder to look at Mosaic. “I can see why you were concerned about the helmet. Also, he definitely looks like an artificial Pokémon. Can you guarantee he’ll behave?”

“Unfortunately, no. You can still back out.”

Keebo stared at Mosaic for a few moments. “No, just tell me what I can do to keep him calm.”

Shuichi instructed Keebo to kneel on the ground, so he wouldn’t be standing over Mosaic. Keebo placed his tools on the ground in front of him and pulled out his Pokéballs just to be safe. Mosaic crept forward and nudged at the tools with his talons before making eye contact with Keebo.

“It’s okay, Mosaic,” Shuichi said soothingly. “He just wants to look at the helmet. Keebo, make sure you move slowly and over-emphasize your movements. Big sweeping gestures, you know?” Keebo struggled to keep himself from trembling. He took a couple deep breaths and reached slowly for Mosaic’s head. The Type: Null let out a warning growl and Keebo froze. With some urging from Shuichi, he continued reached until he touched the surface of the helmet.

“It appears to be some sort of metal,” Keebo observed. “The helmet was contoured for his head, or at least for Pokémon resembling him. Does it look like there are any seams or hinges?”

“No,” Shuichi replied after looking all around the helmet. “Then how was is put on?”

“The collar might be acting as an anchor point for it. They put the collar on and tightened it, slipped the helmet on his head, and attached it to the collar. Do you have any idea why his crest is bound too?” Keebo pointed to the band on Mosaic’s crest.

“No. Maybe the crest is a weapon like an Absol’s horn?”

Keebo picked up a crescent wrench and gently tapped it against the helmet. Mosaic jerked his head back, but he didn’t growl or snarl, just gave Keebo a warning glare. “Sorry, just testing the durability. In my opinion, our first step would be to remove the collar, so we can get a good look at the underside of the helmet. Unfortunately, that would most likely require a blowtorch.”

Shuichi scoffed in a nervous tone. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

“If we can keep him calm, we could use a blow torch with protective padding to keep him from getting burned, and once we’re near skin, we use an angle grinder or even a double-sided file.”

“But something tells me that level of comfort is a long way off,” Shuichi sighed. “Sorry for dragging you out of the workshop.”

“It’s no trouble,” Keebo assured him. “This is obviously something that you are worried about.” Mosaic chose to ignore Keebo and Shuichi and investigate the tools again. He appeared to recognize the Pokéballs and tapped them to see who was inside. Keebo’s Shinx and Aron emerged and looked around curiously. Upon seeing Mosaic, Shinx yowled and fluffed up his fur in an attempt to scare him, while Aron just stood there staring blankly. Being a Rock/Steel-type, he had little to fear from physical attacks. Mosaic ignored Shinx but appeared to show a lot of interest in Aron. He approached and tapped his talons against Aron’s head, trying to grip and pull at him as well.

 _Does he think Aron’s head is also a helmet?_ Shuichi wondered.

“Unfortunately, there is little else I can do at the moment,” said Keebo, starting to pack his tools away. “I wish I could be more useful.”

“You’ve been plenty helpful, Keebo,” Shuichi responded. “I knew when I asked for your help we would be limited on what we could do. Thanks anyway.”

“When you think he’s ready, I’d be more than happy to attempt to remove the helmet.”

*

There was a time when a long period of calm was what Shuichi would consider paradise but, sadly, that was no longer case. Knowing the traffickers were out there and ripping poor Pokémon away from their families, Shuichi couldn’t help but feel a little stir-crazy as the days, then weeks, went by and he hadn’t heard from DICE since the dock raid. He had told Phantom DICE would still handle the traffickers’ activities outside of the city, but with no contact in weeks, he began to have the eerie feeling something big was coming. With no leads, he began to contemplate investigating on his own. He already had an idea of where he could go to start.

“How are you doing, Shuichi?” Uncle Jiro wandered over to his desk. “You look a little agitated.”

“I’m worried about the Pokémon thieves. There hasn’t been any sign of activity for a while.”

“Don’t worry so much about it, you’ll only stress yourself out,” said Uncle Jiro.

“I know, but… it’s just been so quiet, you know? I’m starting to get a bad feeling that something big is about to happen.”

“Don’t tell me you’re turning into one of those Psychic trainers. Do I need to go find you a Psychic-type? I think there’s some Munna down at the breeding center in the Pokémon Daycare.”

“I was actually thinking of going down there to talk with Gonta. I wanted to see if anyone had approached him about breeding Alolan Pokémon. The thieves I caught said they were paid, so I wondered if their cohorts might have tried to establish a constant source of Alolan Pokémon for them to steal so that they could stay in business with whoever’s paying them.”

“Shuichi, don’t rile yourself up.”

“I can’t help it. We still haven’t found Jingles either. Masaru is more stir-crazy than I am.”

“That reminds me; Masaru’s coming over here after school lets out.”

“Why?”

“Takaaki is on duty and his wife is visiting family or something. Takaaki also doesn’t want Masaru hanging around the station since they usually have a lot more activity going on than we do,” Uncle Jiro explained.

When Masaru first came to Litra, school was on break. Part of the deal he had established with his parents that allowed him to stay on the coast until he found Jingles was he needed to be temporarily enrolled in the local district. He wasn’t exactly happy about that but put up with it for Jingles’ sake. Shuichi respected everything that kid was willing to do for his Pokémon, and genuinely didn’t mind Masaru’s presence every now and again.

“You know,” Masaru flung his bag to the floor and practically collapsed in a spare chair Shuichi had by his desk, “being a detective is kinda boring, huh?”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi looked up from the file he was reading.

“Every time I’m over here, you guys aren’t doing anything! I thought, after hearing about the dock raid, your days were action-packed. Running around the city, solving crimes, arresting bad guys— that sort of stuff.”

“Sorry to break the illusion,” said Shuichi, “but real-life police and detectives aren’t like what you see on television and in books. The people who create that media have to make it seem more exciting or you’d have a very boring story. Besides, our agency isn’t equipped for catching a lot of bad guys; we call the precinct for that.”

“Guess I should be glad I didn’t want to be a detective when I was little,” Masaru griped.

“Do you have homework?” Shuichi asked.

“Not a lot, mostly worksheets.”

“I was about to go visit a friend at the breeding center in the Pokémon Daycare. Do you want to come?”

“Yeah!” Masaru was suddenly full of energy, leaping out of the chair and basically hanging off Shuichi while the detective gathered his belongings. After alerting Uncle Jiro he was leaving and taking Masaru with him, the duo left for the daycare. Before they barely made it out the door, Masaru snagged Shuichi’s Pokéballs and released Lumine and Scout. “I think Scout will evolve into an Umbreon. It kinda matches you.”

 _We’re having this conversation again?_ “Just like his father?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You know my uncle’s Umbreon? He’s Scout’s father.”

“Oh,” Masaru replied, genuinely surprised by that revelation. “I thought because you had a breeder friend you got Scout from them.”

“No, but that’s how my friend Kaede got her Sylveon. Actually, I think they have some Eevee at the breeding center right now. They usually have a couple newborn Eevee since they’re a popular Pokémon.”

With prospect of getting to see some baby Eevee, Masaru was even more eager to get to the daycare and urged Shuichi to hurry multiple times. Shuichi, however, kept his own pace the entire way, causing Lumine to run ahead with Masaru and keep the over-excited kid out of traffic. Although, he did speed up a little to make it through the crosswalks after a badly-timed signal left the two on opposite sides of an intersection. Thankfully, Masaru was wise enough to wait for him and not wander off. He’d been in Litra for a little more than a month, but Takaaki didn’t let him stray, so he wasn’t accustomed to the cityscape. The familiar building loomed into Shuichi’s view, a charming sign decorated with human handprints and Pokémon footprints located at the front of the walking path. Masaru was investigating the sign, trying to guess which footprints belonged to which Pokémon. The building was one-story and had large windows that they could already see Pokémon through. There were outdoor play areas around the back that were cordoned off with strong fences. The owners weren’t taking any chances with someone trying to steal a Pokémon.

“Behave yourself,” Shuichi warned Masaru as he opened the front door for the younger boy. “If you’re too rambunctious and scare the Pokémon, the workers will come down on you. You’re just lucky my friend Maki isn’t here today. She has little tolerance for rowdy children.”

“Fine,” Masaru begrudgingly relented.

“Hello gentlemen,” the receptionist greeted them, a strange smile on her face when she saw Shuichi. Shuichi didn't come here often, since his job allowed him to take his Pokémon with him and he didn't need a daycare service, so he didn't know her name, but that smile of hers hinted she knew him in some way. She had shoulder-length light brown hair, a pair of hoop earrings, and a rather large chest that she did little to cover up; in fact, Shuichi tapped Masaru on the head when he saw the younger boy leering at her visible cleavage.

“Dropping off?” she looked down at Lumine and Scout.

“Actually, I’m here to talk with one of the breeders. Could you let Gonta Gokuhara know Shuichi Saihara is here to see him?” The receptionist picked up the phone and connected to whatever phone was in the back office. Masaru was looking through one of the glass panels into a playroom. He was smiling at the sight of the Pokémon playing, but there was a sad aura behind the smile. _He misses Jingles. It must be hard to see all the Pokémon around the city with their owners and not knowing where your own is._

“Shuichi?” Gonta walked out from the door labeled “Breeding Center” wearing a pink and blue apron with the pockets stuffed full of treats and toys. “How nice to see you!” Thankfully, Gonta was aware of his strength, or else he would have picked Shuichi up in an embrace.

“Hi Gonta, I was wondering if I could ask you and your breeder colleagues a couple questions?”

“Of course, come with me.” The door to the breeding center was security-coded to prevent theft of the baby Pokémon. They sometimes had some high-value Pokémon staying in the center, such as pedigree contest performers or champion battlers. “Who is this?” Gonta asked when Masaru ducked through the door with them.

“This is Masaru Daimon,” Shuichi explained. “He’s staying in the city until he can be reunited with his Jangmo-o, Jingles. He was stolen by the same kind of people we caught at the docks.”

“I’m so sorry!” Gonta told Masaru, his tone completely genuine. 

“It’s okay,” Masaru tried to brush off the sentiment. “We’re both strong. I know he’s alright.” Gonta had been described by the other in their friend group as “simple” in that he always saw the best in most people and was constantly cheerful. In contrast, Miu called him “fucking stupid.” Nevertheless, he was very empathetic and sensed the pain in Masaru’s voice.

Shuichi leaned close to Gonta and whispered, “Um, if you had any newborn Pokémon he could cuddle with, that’d be greatly appreciated.”

“I can do that.” 

The nursery was the main portion of the breeding center. There was plush carpeting and several small cubicles lining both walls. Each cubicle had a bed and food bowls, and a small gate that could cordon off the cubicle if the offspring were rowdy but too small to let wander. The walls were painted soft pastel colors that were pleasing to the eyes. There was a sliding glass door at the back of the room that opened to the outdoor area for the larger breeding Pokémon, as well as a side run for the smaller Pokémon to get outside and exercise. At the moment, the nursery was at almost full capacity and the workers were treading lightly as baby Pokémon swarmed their feet and tried to cling to their legs or attack their shoes. The litter of five Eevee noticed Masaru immediately and bowled each other over in their attempt to reach him first. The boy looked absolutely overjoyed and dropped to his knees to greet the Eevee. Two Flareon, the parents of the Eevee, watched calmly from their cubicle.

“Is there a way I can talk with everyone at once?” Shuichi asked Gonta. “It would make this easier.”

“I can ask the owner,” Gonta suggested.

“The breeding center owner?”

“The owner of the entire daycare.”

Given that the breeding center was often referred to independently from the daycare, it had never occurred to Shuichi the two were owned by the same person. He wondered if they divided their time between the two or spent most of their time in either the daycare portion or the breeding center. The former required more workers, but could be run more easily, while the latter required specific workers with particular skills and was more difficult to run due to the discipline.

“Greetings!” Shuichi flinched at the deep, booming voice came out of nowhere. A strange man with black and white hair, mismatched eyes, and what looked like a scar on his face approached him. “For what reason do you visit this domain?”

“I… what?” Shuichi whispered to himself. 

“What is the reason for your visit?” A cheerful young woman, her blond hair pulled back in a long braid, stood beside the strange man. She had a slight accent, hinting she wasn’t from the region.

“I wanted to ask the breeders if they’ve been approached by any suspicious people.”

“Suspicious people?” Gonta repeated. “Like who?”

“Anyone who is particularly interested in breeding Alolan Pokémon, especially if they want to have a regular supply of newborns.” Gonta, the strange man, and the woman suddenly looked shocked. “Have you met anyone like that?”

“No,” said the woman, “but what are you implying? We regularly have breeding Pokémon that have had many offspring. Why would that be a bad thing?”

“My name is Shuichi Saihara, I’m a detective-in-training at the Saihara Detective Agency. About two months ago, I caught two Pokémon thieves targeting Alolan Pokémon. A little over a month ago, my colleagues and I conducted a dock raid where we rescued dozens of Alolan Pokémon who were abducted from their homes. The reason I’m asking these questions is because of a comment made by one of the thieves. He said they were being paid to transport the Pokémon to Alola, so I was worried, once the amount of Alolan Pokémon on the mainland dwindled, they would try to establish a steady supply they could ‘steal’ and continue being paid.”

“So, you’re wondering if anyone came to us wishing to regularly breed Alolan Pokémon, so they could send them to Alola and be paid for it?” asked the woman. “Our boarding fee alone would probably negate any profit they could claim.”

“I don’t know how much they’re being paid, or if it’s based on how many Pokémon they bring in,” said Shuichi.

“The only mortal seeking to breed a Pokémon of the Alola Islands was a man who wished for a mighty offspring of his Passimian to gift his own child,” answered the strange man.

Shuichi looked around at the Pokémon currently in the breeding center. “You don’t have any breeding Alolan Pokémon at the moment?”

“I’m afraid not,” said the woman. “Like Gundam said, we’ve only had one man approach with a Passimian, and he only wanted one egg. Oh, this is Gundam Tanaka, owner of the Pokémon Daycare,” she gestured to the strange man. “I’m Sonia Nevermind. Sorry we couldn’t be formally introduced when you visited the compound.”

“Wait… what?” Shuichi gaped at her.

“Gonta,” Sonia turned to the tall man, “could you assist in the outdoor area?” Thankfully, he was more than happy to help and walked off without arguing. “Hello, Shuichi,” Sonia turned back toward him. “It’s a pleasure to officially meet you. I trust you’re happy with Mosaic’s accommodations?”

“You’re members of the Kuzuryu Clan?”

“We were both long-time associates of the heir before becoming official kin of his choosing,” said Gundam. “Our expertise was sought in establishing your Beast Killer’s dwelling.”

“We were friends with Fuyuhiko throughout school,” Sonia translated. “He established his own independent branch of the clan and asked us to join. We offered our advice in setting up Mosaic’s room.”

“A Drampa!” Masaru suddenly shouted, running to hug the Dragon-type around its slender neck. Shuichi recognized the Drampa as Gonta’s, gifted to him by Angie. Drampa looked overjoyed by Masaru’s attention, even more so when the litter of Eevee chased after Masaru and started climbing on Drampa.

“How nice,” said Sonia. “Is he your little brother?”

“No,” Shuichi replied, “he’s staying in the city until we can find his Jangmo-o. I brought him with me because I thought it would cheer him up. He’s been here a month and we haven’t found any sign of where his Jangmo-o was taken.”

“Mayhap we can negotiate for his enjoyment and preparing the young Eevee for their futures,” said Gundam.

“What?” Shuichi responded, struggling to understand.

“Gundam is suggesting the boy come visit the young Pokémon here in the breeding center to make him happy and socialize the Pokémon to young children, since those are usually the people they end up going to,” Sonia explained.

Shuichi smiled. “I’m sure he’d like that.”

“As for your worries, I believe they are unfounded,” said Sonia. “We have not had anyone approach us with interest in long-term breeding of Alolan Pokémon. We’ve had the one Passimian and the egg is currently in the hatchery.” She pointed to a door that led to another room that was filled with cases and heating pads full of eggs, as Shuichi was able to see through the glass window. “This room is security-coded with a different code than the one to enter the nursery. Only a few employees are allowed in that room, and never any visitors.”

“One gentleman did approach for information of our resident surrogate Pokémon,” said Gundam.

Sonia looked confused for a moment before apparently remembering who Gundam was referring to. “We did have a man express interest in Gonta’s Drampa. Drampa usually stays here in the nursery to watch over the baby Pokémon and be their playmate. We had an adoption day party with our clients for the young Pokémon ready to leave the nursery. People who were interested in adoption came to see the young Pokémon who hadn’t been reserved beforehand. One man asked about Drampa and was rather… forceful in what he wanted to know. I called Gonta over, so he could answer the questions, and the man looked very nervous and walked away.”

_Gonta can be a little intimidating, even if he doesn’t mean to be. I’m not surprised the guy ran off. But, this man and his behavior sound a little disconcerting. He showed interest in Drampa and was aggressive in obtaining information. Hopefully, the sight of Gonta scared him off completely._

“That is all I can think of relating to what you want to know,” said Sonia.

“Thank you, this has been helpful. Keep an eye out for anyone behaving like I described,” said Shuichi. Gundam appeared satisfied that he was no longer needed and punched in the code to enter the hatchery. Shuichi was about to call out for Masaru, but Sonia spoke up again.

“Did you always want to be a detective?”

“Um, I guess…no,” Shuichi replied, surprised by the sudden question. “It just sort of happened and was something I was good at.”

“Do you not enjoy it? You do not seem to be speaking favorably.”

“No!” Shuichi backtracked. “I like it. It’s just… I don’t really have an exciting story about how I found my calling. It was a gradual process; I didn’t suddenly wake up one day and realize this was what I wanted to do. What about you? Do you enjoy being a breeder?”

“Yes, I do!” she replied cheerfully. “And actually, I did have a moment where I realized this was what I wanted to do. Gundam has been a breeder for most of his life. He introduced me to the profession.”

“It must an interesting job. You get to be around baby Pokémon all day long. I bet you can breed a Pokémon for any profession: guardian, battler, performer.”

“A quality breeder can find desirable traits in parent Pokémon to ensure the offspring are already competent in what their owner intends for them, but it all comes down to training," Sonia stated. "Even a Pokémon who is not a pedigree can be successful with the right trainer, and a pedigree in the hands of an incompetent trainer will not succeed as well as it could. All the people here, we did not become Pokémon breeders to support the idea of ‘perfect Pokémon,’ but to create happy families and gift children with their new beloved partners."

Shuichi looked over toward Lumine and Scout, who were crowding Masaru and Drampa with the Eevee litter. He remembered his uncle’s claim that Lumine was the offspring of Kyoko Kirigiri’s Lycanroc. If his pedigree was true, was Lumine living up to his true potential as Shuichi’s partner? He could be a champion battler, rising to the top of the Elite Four with a competent partner and trainer. And what about Scout? Masaru questioning why the Eevee had yet to evolve echoed in Shuichi’s mind. Three of the eight Eeveelutions did not require evolutionary stones or shards of rock imbued with natural energy. Scout qualified to be an Umbreon, Espeon, or Sylveon, but he wasn’t. Was he living up to his potential?

The two raids arose in his memory, one of which he handled solo. He hadn’t been prepared for the intensity of either of those incidents. Despite the calm, he knew the traffickers were not gone. They would surface again and, when they did, would he be prepared? He was never much of a battler, but if these events were going to become more severe, he needed to be ready to command his Pokémon in battle. Both he and them were going to need more practice. He shuddered when he realized he knew where to go.

*

Shuichi kept his head down in the presence of such intimidating individuals. Both people and Pokémon were punching, kicking, and tackling dummies and targets. He tried to stay out of the way, but still had to duck when a Hawlucha flew over his head. Lumine and Scout looked both fascinated and concerned at the same time as they observed the inhabitants of the dojo.

“Well, look who’s here,” Tenko approached him, her arms crossed. Her Mienfoo and Combusken also stood beside her, their arms crossed as well. “What do you want?”

“I’m here to train Lumine and Scout,” he answered.

“Wha—really!?” Tenko looked shocked. “Since when do you battle, degenerate!?”

Shuichi sighed. “I thought you were past calling men that word.”

“Old habits die hard. Fine, why are you really here?”

“I’m here to train.”

“Wha— You were telling the truth!? Why would you need to train for battle? Aren’t you a desk jockey?” 

“I’m a detective,” he specified. “It’s true I spend most of my time in the agency, at a desk, but once I complete my training, I’ll be much more active in the field. After the two raids, I decided all three of us needed some more training. If we’re going to take down those traffickers, we need to be stronger.”

Tenko narrowed her eyes, as if she were trying to pry apart his statement for falsehoods. “Fine. I guess I won’t kick you out.”

“It’s not your dojo,” Shuichi pointed out. “Besides, there’s plenty of men working out here with their Pokémon! Why would you single me out?”

“You haven’t proven your worth. Yet.” Shuichi frowned in response. “I said ‘yet!’ That means there’s a possibility. Come over here so you’re out of the way of the professionals.” She led him over to a more remote corner with two dummies and a target post and gave her Pokémon a signal for them to head off somewhere else into the dojo of their own accord. “What moves do they know?”

“Mostly physical attacks, and Scout knows Swift.”

Tenko held up a hand in front of his face. “Never underestimate the effectiveness of support moves. Battling isn’t all about directly attacking your opponent. Tell me what each of them knows,” she ordered, pulling out her cell phone.

Shuichi racked his brain to remember since they didn’t battle very often. “Lumine knows Sand Attack, Rock Throw, Bite, Tackle, and I think he knows Howl. Scout knows Quick Attack, Tackle, Swift, Bite, Growl, and Charm.”

Tenko appeared to be reading something on her phone and was scrolling using her thumb. “Battling is not about power; it’s about strategy. You need to learn how to use non-attack moves to gain the upper hand, and maybe use one Pokémon to support the other.” She showed him her phone, revealing she was on the Pokédex app. “Rockruff and Eevee’s list of known attacks: the ones they learn naturally, and the ones that can be taught to them. I have chosen two each that I think will be helpful.”

“Okay,” Shuichi agreed.

“I will teach Lumine how to use Double Team and Snarl.”

“I can understand Double Team, but Snarl is an attack. You just said never underestimate the power of support moves.”

“I did, but Snarl is a double-whammy. It deals damage and lowers an opponent’s stats. As for Scout, I will teach him how to use Take Down and Helping Hand.”

Shuichi winced upon hearing the options. “Doesn’t Take Down deal damage to the attacker? Can’t we pick something else?”

Tenko frowned and crossed her arms. “And what do you suggest, since you’re obviously the master of this?”

“Um, how about Return?” Return was a move the vast majority of Pokémon were able to use. Its power increased the more the user was bonded to their trainer. Given the bond between Shuichi and Scout, Return seemed like a good choice.

“Huh, maybe you’re not useless after all.” In the most backhanded way, Tenko agreed with his logic. “Now, just to let you know, this is not a quick process. It will take a couple training sessions before they get the hang of it. Lumine, let’s get you started first.” The Rockruff padded forward and sat down. “Since you already know Howl, Snarl should be a little easier to get the hand of. When you use Howl, you shout to raise your spirits and increase your attack. Snarl has you yelling intimidatingly at your opponent. Try giving the post a shout,” she instructed, pointing to the wooden target post.

Lumine approached the post and centered himself. He inhaled as much air as he could and let loose a loud bark. The post didn’t give any sign that it had been hit by the attempted attack. Lumine growled and tried again, this time trying to add a howl into the bark. Nothing again. 

“Come on!” Tenko hissed at Shuichi. “You’re his trainer; you need to support him!”

“Oh! Um… Come on, Lumine! You can do it!” Lumine let out a bark that echoed around the dojo and even drew the attention of some of the other patrons. The wooden post rattled slightly.

“We’re on the right track,” Tenko nodded in approval. “He needs to learn to focus the soundwave. Keep at it— now for Scout.” Scout stood at attention at the mention of his name. “We’ll start with Helping Hand. Helping Hand is a support move where you lend your ally some power.”

“Pokémon can share energy?” said Shuichi.

“Yeah, if you actually battled, you’d know that,” Tenko muttered. “They share energy in different ways, mostly through moves, but some also through evolution. Gonta told me this: Karrablast and Shelmet share energy when they evolve, and they can only evolve with one another. Scout, when you use Helping Hand, you summon your internal energy and cast it away to Lumine. In a way, you’re meditating and shifting your internal energy.”

“So, we’re going to teach him to meditate? I thought Eevee can’t use Meditate.”

“Everyone can benefit from meditating, even you. In fact, I think you need it. Meditation and breathing exercises were the first thing I was taught when I began my training.”

_Then why are you so emotionally unrestrained?_

Tenko took a single step forward and Shuichi instinctively tensed when he knew exactly what was coming. Before he could even blink, he was flying over Tenko’s shoulder and slamming into the ground. _At least she flipped me onto a mat this time_ , was the only upside he could fathom.

“You’re unsure of yourself,” said Tenko, flexing her uncanny ability to read people just by throwing them over her shoulder. “You’re stressing yourself out. You came here to train your Pokémon because you feel that you’re not skilled enough for battling and you’re letting them down. You’ll benefit from training just as much as they will.”

“Um,” Shuichi glanced around at the other patrons, intimidated by their expertise.

“Don’t look at them!” Tenko scolded. “You’ll never make progress if you only compare yourself to others!”

 _That’s oddly encouraging, even if she’s basically screaming it at me._ Shuichi sat up and groaned in discomfort. “Okay, how about we focus on Lumine and Scout for now?” The two had watched her flip him, but wisely didn’t get involved. 

“No!” Tenko snapped. “You will train side-by-side with them!” Tenko continued to scold him while Shuichi meekly argued back. Lumine and Scout, recognizing the training wouldn’t commence until Tenko had run out of steam, sat down and watched as she argued about “emotional support” and “trading spiritual energy back and forth.” She would have continued yelling at Shuichi if her Combusken hadn’t come running up with a piece of paper in its talons.

“What’s this?” Tenko immediately stopped shouting, switching her mood at the drop of a hat.

Shuichi struggled to his feet. “I’m just gonna…”

“Stay there!” Tenko snapped, not even looking up from the paper. “Oh!” She suddenly looked overjoyed and hugged the paper to her chest. “This is going to be so much fun!”

“What is it?” Shuichi asked, genuinely curious about what Tenko could be so excited about.

“Himiko’s having a performance this Saturday! She gave me a personal invitation to attend!”

“Really? It’s personalized?” Shuichi managed to stand up and look at the paper. “Your name isn’t even on it. How is this personalized?”

“Because it was delivered to me!” Tenko pouted. “I don’t see your invitation!”

“Why would she deliver an invitation for me here at the dojo when she doesn’t know I’m visiting? My invitation is probably at my house or the agency. It sounds fun; I’ll have to check my schedule and make sure it’s clear for Saturday.”

“You better!” Tenko threatened. “Himiko needs the support! She’s a rising star in the contest world! No one can match her expertise.”

“I will admit her creativity had resulted in some spectacular performances, and new ideas being introduced to the industry, but she needs more ambition to really excel to the same standing as other contest champions. I mean, look at Sayaka Maizono; she started out by participating side-by-side with her Pokémon in musicals in the Unova Region. Nowadays, you can't turn on the radio without hearing her songs. If Himiko wants to stand out, she needs to try harder.”

“What!?” Tenko squawked. 

Shuichi flinched away from her. “She has the ingenuity to be a champion, she just needs a little more motivation. Maybe our support will inspire her to try harder?” he tentatively suggested. That appeared to be the correct statement since Tenko backed off with a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Himiko needs motivation?” Suddenly her eyes brightened and sparkled. “Then I will make sure she gets that motivation! Everyone needs to be at the performance to encourage her to reach greater heights! I need to call everyone and make sure they got their invitations.”

“Great idea. You can count on me being there.”

“You better be there to support Himiko! Now take that stupid hat off and start training!”

*

“Should I dress nicely?” Shuichi asked his uncle while sorting through his closet.

“Is it a formal performance, or is it just a small show?”

“Just a small show. She’s performing at a community center; apparently, most of the audience is supposed to be children, but she’s demonstrating some new tricks and wants us to see them. I guess I could go casual, but I kind of worked Tenko into a tizzy about showing Himiko support and I’m worried she’ll nitpick.”

“Given what little I personally know about Tenko, you’re going to get shouted at no matter what,” said Uncle Jiro, leaning against the doorframe of Shuichi’s room. “Might as well wear what’s most comfortable.”

“And make sure you get pictures,” said Aunt Ayame, passing by the doorway. “I’ve never seen a Pokémon coordinator perform.”

“I promise to get pictures,” Shuichi assured. Deciding Jiro was correct about Tenko, he dressed in casual clothing. He was going to be sitting for a while, might as well make sure he’s comfortable. 

The community center Himiko was going to be performing at allowed Pokémon, so Shuichi decided to take Lumine and Scout. They would probably enjoy the performance as much as the children would anyway. As long as he’s known Himiko, she practiced magic like it was a way of life. She had managed to enter the world of Pokémon contests with a bang by combining her magic prowess with artistic showmanship. Like Shuichi had discussed with Tenko at the dojo, Himiko had so much creativity but little ambition. It was no wonder one her Pokémon was an Abra that Shuichi swore has never moved in his presence. A couple of the girls had attended some of Himiko’s performances on the contest circuit, but all Shuichi had of the shows were some pictures that left a lot to be desired. Angie was the only one of the group who went who was decent with a camera and she had been too busy being a cheerleader to take pictures. He foresaw the same behavior occurring tonight and hoped Tenko wouldn’t be too jealous of Angie’s candor. The last thing he needed was to break up a one-sided fight or get caught in the crossfire.

The train ride was uneventful, but he could have sworn he saw the community center from the station. Whoever had decorated had put all their effort into it. There weren’t spotlights, but there were balloons and some flashing lights at the entrance. He stopped for a moment with a small group of people to admire a poster of Himiko posing with her Pokémon: her Braixen back-to-back with her and her Litten leaping across the front of the picture, the rest of her Pokémon bordering the trio in the center. Lumine barked happily at the picture, sensing the excitement building in the trail of people entering the building. He bounced up on his hind legs and stumbled back after losing his balance, knocking into a man’s legs.

“Sorry about that,” Shuichi apologized. “He’s excited for the show.”

“It’s fine,” said man replied, turning away to enter the building while casting a look over his shoulder at the poster and Lumine.

“Shuichi!” Kaede and Tsumugi rushed up to him on the sidewalk. Spooky the Mimikyu was sitting on Kaede’s head and wearing an outfit that looked strikingly like the one Himiko was wearing in the poster, little black witch’s hat and black-and-red cape included. “We should hurry inside and find good seats.”

“Is Spooky in the show?” Shuichi asked as they walked through the doors.

“No,” Tsumugi replied, “I made that as a prototype for Himiko’s new outfit. Spooky was more than happy to be a model.”

The multi-purpose room had been outfitted with a red carpet down the center and multiple rows of folding chairs with an open space in front of the stage for younger children to sit on the floor. There were some tables with refreshments lining the walls. The walls were decorated with photos and drawings of local families and Pokémon. About three-quarters of the room was already full of people milling about and finding their friends. Some children were sitting in a circle in a corner of the room, so they were out of the way. One little boy, who couldn’t be older than four, had a cape and a top hat too big for his head that kept slipping down over his ears. He was somehow summoning sparks of light from a magician’s wand, and Shuichi marveled at how he was doing so, until he spied Himiko’s Misdreavus drifting about and sending out Psybeams to coincide with the boy’s wand-waving.

“Rantaro!” Kaede picked a path through the rows of chairs to approach their friend at his seat. Keebo, Angie, Kirumi, and Korekiyo were also sitting in the same row that, thankfully, still had some empty chairs. They might not all get to sit together, but they could at least be in the same area. “How long have you guys been here?”

“Tenko insisted we arrive early to claim seats,” said Kiyo. “Apparently my ‘creepiness’ is intended to act as a deterrent, so we could save as many seats as possible. Unfortunately, Gonta has to sit in the back.” Shuichi glanced to the back row and saw Gonta sitting in his seat, cheerfully and patiently waiting for the show to start.

“Shuichi!” someone called out, drawing the young detective’s attention.

“Masaru?” The young boy came running up, a small plate of baked treats clutched in his hands. “What are you doing here?”

“One of my classmates is the magician’s assistant. She asked me to come,” Masaru explained. “I’m sitting over there,” he pointed to the other side of the rows.

“Beat it, kid.” Miu nudged Masaru out of her way so she could sit in the row. He gave her an annoyed look before looking at Shuichi and shrugging. He walked off to where he was sitting, waving Shuichi goodbye.

“Where’s everyone else?” Kaede asked.

“Tenko is backstage with Himiko, and I think that’s where Tsumugi disappeared to as well,” said Kirumi. “Ryoma and Maki are at the bathrooms and Kaito will hopefully be here soon, since the show’s scheduled to start in about five minutes.”

As if on cue, Ryoma and Maki returned and took their seats in the row behind where the others were sitting. Shuichi picked a seat and sat with them, making sure he left a space next to Maki for Kaito when he showed up. Ryoma had the aisle seat so he could easily see the show. Lumine and Scout were happy to sit in his leg space, so they could see as well; it wasn’t like he needed it, and he didn’t seem to mind. People began to migrate from the tables and other spaces into their seats and the floorspace at the front. The lights dimmed as Tsumugi and Tenko ducked out from behind the curtain and scrambled to their chairs.

“Himiko needed a small touch-up on her cape,” Tsumugi explained. “And Braixen popped a rhinestone off her waistcoat.”

Shuichi jumped when someone suddenly touched his shoulder. He turned his head to see Kaito smiling at him, Nebby levitating by his head. “Sorry, sidekick, didn’t mean to scare you. Can I get by?”

“Where were you?” Shuichi asked as Kaito slipped by and sat next to Maki, reaching up and snagging Nebby to keep him from obstructing anyone’s view.

“I just got out of my first-aid course. All the rare and uncommon injury scenarios the instructor presented to the class have all been things that we’ve done. Are we idiots?” 

“Is this a trick question?” said Maki.

The curtains rippled as a young girl with pink hair wearing a sequin-covered costume stepped to the front of the stage. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Kotoko Utsugi and I welcome you to the show!”

She pulled out a large ring with paper covering it and held it out to her side. She then lifted it out of the way to reveal a large beach ball had appeared behind it. The beach ball began to move on its own, rolling in circles around Kotoko. It bounced a few times into the air and then burst into a shower of confetti. A Mime Jr. popped out from the explosion and gave a little twirl to the applauding audience.

“I am but an assistant,” said Kotoko. “Allow me to introduce the master of the illusionary arts, herself: Himiko Yumeno!” The curtains parted, only to reveal Himiko’s Braixen wearing a waistcoat and small top hat and striking a pose. “Whoops!” Kotoko called out dramatically, inciting laughter in the audience. “Let’s try that again, shall we?” The curtains were pulled shut and reopened, this time revealing Himiko’s Litten lazily licking his paw.

“Darn it!” Kotoko grouched, stomping her foot. “One. More. Time!” The curtains shut and opened again, this time revealing a large box decorated with bright colors and symbols and Himiko’s sleeping Abra on top. Kotoko sighed theatrically and face-palmed. “Do you see what I have to deal with?” she told the audience.

Abra suddenly vanished in a small flash of light and the top of the box flew up. Himiko emerged from the box, flaunting her cape and brandishing a staff. She put one foot on the edge and shifted her body weight forward, tipping the box just as she jumped to the front-most part of the stage. When the box fell forward, the top fell shut again, this time facing the audience. Himiko spun on her heel and tapped the box with the bottom of her staff. The box shook for a moment and Braixen emerged, holding the lid up for Litten, Misdreavus, and Abra to come out.

“Hmm,” Himiko counted the four of her Pokémon on her fingers. “We’re missing someone. Where could she be?” The children giggled as Himiko searched around the stage and began looking out at the audience. “Ah ha!” Himiko was seemingly struck with a moment of brilliance and took off her witch’s hat, holding it so everyone could look inside. She handed her staff to Kotoko and waved her hand over her hat. Her Buneary suddenly leapt from her hat and landed on top of her head to the delight of her audience.

In Shuichi’s opinion, the noises Nebby made sounded like a small bell chiming. At the moment, it sounded like a chorus of bells ringing next to his head as Nebby cheered and waved his pom-poms, Kaito struggling to keep the little starcloud from floating away. Lumine and Scout apparently sensed Nebby’s excitement and began wrestling with one another.

“Welcome to the show, everyone,” Himiko greeted. 

“Is she incapable of expressing any enthusiasm?” Miu quietly griped, only to be punched in the leg by Tenko. 

Misdreavus and Abra levitated over separate ends of the stage. It was faint, but sharp-eyed viewers could see the shimmer of a psychic shield separating the audience from the stage. Braixen pulled her stick from her tail and began casting a Fire Spin, creating spirals of fire that ascended toward the ceiling. Buneary jumped off Himiko’s head and positioned herself under the fire. With a strength only a Buneary could muster, she sprung up and passed through the middle of spirals of fire, before suddenly being enveloped by a light and was replaced by Litten at the peak of the jump.

 _Baton Pass?_ Shuichi wondered. Litten fell back through the spirals, turning front flips until he landed gracefully on the top of Himiko’s staff. The psychic shield closed around the fire, squeezing it tightly. The fire began to die as it burned through the small amount of oxygen in the shield. The shield suddenly released; the light of the fire seemed to expand across the ceiling before collapsing in itself with a flash. The audience exploded with applause and cheers.

“Shit!” Kaito hissed. When he started clapping, Nebby took a chance and wriggled free. He rushed to the stage and tried dancing with Misdreavus, who backed away with a confused expression.

“Hi Nebby,” Himiko greeted him. “Everyone, it looks like we have an addition to the show.”

Lumine and Scout allegedly took that as an invitation and raced each other to the stage. The audience was delighted with the additions and, thankfully, Himiko didn’t seem to mind, otherwise, Shuichi might have died of embarrassment. Himiko began to continue her show, throwing a small ball which burst into a flurry of sparkles. During the flashes of light, Shuichi saw something moving out of the corner of his eyes. It was a person, but they were too far away, and the lighting was too dim to see if it was anyone he knew. They shuffled along the wall with their hands in the pockets and their head down. Shuichi watched as they quickly exited the community center, the light of a cell phone screen briefly appearing from their pocket before the doors shut.

 _Huh, I wonder where they were off to in such a hurry?_ Shuichi wondered before the show captured his attention once more, the brief light of the cellphone reminding him to take his own out to snap a couple pictures for his aunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Litra City isn't located in any pre-established region from the game canon; I call it the Lotic Region. The region itself is small and most of the population is located along the coast. In my mind, I envision the Lotic Region to be south of Kalos and north of Johto, so it's caught between the two. That means Kanto is southeast of the region as well. Unlike other regions, the Lotic Region doesn't have any exclusive Pokémon, only a collection of Pokémon populations from all the generations except for Alola, since the islands are isolated. The Lotic Region also doesn't have a gym system or Elite Four, since it's so small.


	7. Cast Beyond the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After one of the traffickers’ ships is discovered to be sinking offshore under mysterious conditions, Angie claims the legends of Alola have descended upon the region.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles)

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 7: Cast Beyond the Moon

Shuichi groaned as he fumbled for his ringing cell phone in the darkness. He missed about three times, painfully knocking his wrist against the corner of his nightstand, before successfully snagging the ringing annoyance. He struggled to sit up in bed and answered the call.

“Hello?” he rasped, rubbing one of his eyes.

“Shuichi!”

“Rantaro?” Shuichi drawled, glancing at his alarm clock. “It’s five in the morning, why are you calling me at this hour?”

“You need to get down to the marina! Right now!”

“What’s going on?” he was starting to wake up a little more at the sound of the urgency in Rantaro’s voice.

“One of the traffickers’ ships is drifting offshore. It’s been in an accident or something; it’s taking on water!”

Now Shuichi was awake, shooting upright in bed. His sudden movement alerted Lumine and Scout, both of whom stirred and blearily blinked at him. “Rantaro, stay calm. Do not approach the ship unless it looks like it’s in immediate danger. The traffickers can be unpredictable and may react with hostility, or they could try to overwhelm your boat to escape.”

“Okay, I’ll keep an eye on it, but you need to get down here.”

“I’ll get my uncle and we’ll alert the other detectives. Call the police.”

“Already done.”

Shuichi hung up and rushed to his aunt and uncle’s bedroom. He knocked on the door to be polite but knew he didn’t have time to politely wait for them to wake up on their own. He opened the door and hurried to his uncle’s rousing form. “Uncle Jiro! I just got a call from Rantaro; he said one of the trafficking boats is offshore of the marina and it’s sinking!”

“Sinking? Are there Pokémon on board?” said Jiro.

“I don’t know. He called the police already, but he wants us down there because we have experience with the traffickers and wrangling the Pokémon.”

“Go get dressed.”

The nights were getting colder, so Shuichi made sure to bundle up. His only hope was that he wasn’t going into the water. He was pretty sure the local search and rescue division had special suits for the chilled water and they would be the only ones going in. Lumine and Scout were awake and aware of the importance of the situation. “Okay guys, it’s time to test all the training we’ve done these past few weeks, not only in the dojo, but also on Jun. Are you ready to save some Pokémon?”

Maybe it was the adrenaline rush, but Shuichi felt more and more awake the closer they sped to the marina. Even over the noise of the mini-siren on Uncle Jiro’s car, he could hear the peals of noise from other police cars as they raced through the city, heading for the coastline. Soon, they were joined by those police cars in something that resembled a convoy as they funneled into the parking lot of the marina. Men and women were leaping out of the cars and releasing their Pokémon. Flying Pokémon immediately soared out over the water in the direction of the dark floating mass Shuichi could clearly make out under the intense light of a full moon— maybe a little more intense than usual, but he was distracted by the arrival of Takaaki and…

“Masaru?” Shuichi gawked in surprise at the boy. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh please!” the boy spat. “One of the ships is offshore and you guys thought I wouldn’t be here!? I couldn’t fall asleep at all last night! It was destiny, telling me I needed to be awake for this! Jingles is on that ship, I just know it!”

Takaaki grabbed a hold of Masaru’s shoulder before the boy could take off down the ramp to the marina. “You are allowed to be here, but you will do what I tell you and not get in anyone’s way. Understand?”

“Yes sir,” Masaru griped. “Can I go with Shuichi?”

Shuichi nodded his approval and took Masaru gently by the arm. “I know you’re excited, but you have to stay calm. If you get in the way, Takaaki will send you back to his house.”

“Who’re they?” Masaru asked, pointing down the ramp to two figures on the main dock.

“Uncle Jiro!” Shuichi called out. “I’m going to meet up with Rantaro.” He and Masaru walked down the ramp toward the two figures, waving and calling out to them. To Shuichi’s surprise, neither of them was Rantaro. One was Angie, who appeared to be engaging in some sort of ritualistic praise to the full moon, while the other was a teenage girl who looked vaguely familiar. “Wait… you’re… Megumi, right?” Shuichi guessed.

“Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner!” the girl replied. She was the eldest of Rantaro’s twelve sisters. Shuichi had met each of them at least once, but it was difficult to keep track of who was who, which ones were the stepsisters, and which were the full-/half-blooded sisters. Shuichi was pretty sure Megumi was a full-blooded sister since she was only a couple years younger than Rantaro and had his green hair and long eyelashes.

“Where’s Rantaro?” Shuichi asked. He could see the Amami family boat and could see Gallade and Slowpoke on the boat itself, but Rantaro, Lapras, and Dartrix were nowhere to be seen.

“You said to not approach the ship unless it looked like they were in distress. Well, let’s just say the distress became apparent when it started tipping to the side. Rantaro went out there on Lapras and Dartrix followed.” Megumi pointed to the ship. Shuichi was now able to see another dark mass was circling the sinking ship but not approaching it directly. There was a flash of blue light and then the smaller mass began swimming towards the marina. Once it got close enough, Shuichi was able to discern the mass was Rantaro’s Lapras with Rantaro balancing on her shell.

“What was that light?” Shuichi asked, extending a hand to help Rantaro step onto the dock. Dartrix swooped overhead and landed on the railing of the Amami boat.

“I had Lapras use Ice Beam to plug the rip in the ship’s hull,” Rantaro explained. “When the ship started tipping sideways, I went out there to see if there was any way to keep it floating until help arrived. Something powerful must have punched through the hull. It doesn’t look like they ran into anything. The metal around the gape is thrust outward. Do you think a Pokémon might have escaped and unleashed an attack on the wall?”

“I saw her, Shuichi!” Angie suddenly cheered, apparently finished with her ritual. “The emissary of the moon! She held the light of dawn and the stars in her wings! She was so mighty she covered the moon and cast its power down upon the ship!”

“Wait, you saw what hit the ship?” said Shuichi.

“I was hit with inspiration late last night and was painting into the early morning. The air crackled with energy and I saw her emerge beyond the horizon. She eclipsed the moon and her wings filled with the power of light. A beam of moonlight shot down and struck the ship!”

“Who is ‘she?’”

“Lunala! The beast that calls forth the moon!” Angie began her ritual again, raising her hands to the full moon.

“Lunala?” said Rantaro. “One of the Alola Legendaries? You saw a Lunala?”

“ _If_ you saw a Lunala and weren’t just hallucinating from lack of sleep,” Shuichi didn’t even try to hide the doubt in his voice, “why would it attack the ship? And why isn’t it still here attacking the ship?”

“Your skepticism is not welcome here,” Angie scolded as if she were speaking to a naughty child.

“What’s a Lunala?” Masaru asked. Megumi pulled out her phone and searched for an image of Lunala for Masaru to see. The image itself was a picture of a replica drawing from some ruins in Alola, so it wasn’t very detailed and only depicted a general shape of the Pokémon. “This thing shot down the ship?”

The police were now swarming down into the marina. Shuichi easily recognized the search and rescue squad in their brightly-colored wetsuits and carrying light-weight dinghies to the launch. A couple even jumped on the back of some Water Pokémon, such as Sharpedo, while the Flying Pokémon dove forward and started circling over the ship. Even from the distance, the bright moonlight illuminated the shapes of people running around on the deck. Whether they were panicking about the half-sunk ship with its punched-through hull plugged with an icicle or the approaching law enforcement had yet to be seen.

“Rantaro, have you been sleeping in your boat at night even in this temperature?” Shuichi asked.

“Megumi has an important exam in a couple days, so she and I are sleeping here so she can study in peace,” Rantaro explained. “We were both fast asleep when Lapras woke us by nudging the entire boat.”

“Did you see the Lunala, or the ‘flash of moonlight?’” Shuichi asked.

“I remember seeing some bright light, but I saw it as shafts of light shining down the stairs since we were below deck. By the time I got to the top deck, Lapras was swimming back and forth and crying out. I saw the boat, but its hull was already punctured by that point.”

“But no Lunala?”

“No Lunala,” Rantaro confirmed.

Angie crossed her arms and pouted. “Well, maybe Lapras saw something! I’ll be right back!” She turned and nearly sprinted up the ramp to the parking lot before disappearing in the direction of the warehouses. 

“Rantaro!” Uncle Jiro and a couple of detectives from the agency approached the remaining four. “Could we use your boat for moving any Pokémon that may be on board the ship?”

“Of course! And we could leash Lapras to a section of the floating pier and have her ferry it back and forth.”

“That ship looks a lot bigger than the two from last time,” Jun said to himself. “It almost looks like a freighter ship.”

Shuichi aided Rantaro in hitching Lapras to a section of the floating pier before cutting the section loose. Rantaro scrambled onto Lapras’ shell and waved for Shuichi to join him, but the young detective wasn’t confident enough in his ability to balance on the Pokémon and instead chose to board the Amami family boat with his colleagues and Masaru, with Megumi driving. By the time they reached the ship, the traffickers were trying to hit the Flying Pokémon out of the air with pieces of pipe and whatever else they could find on board. A Braviary apparently had enough and swooped down to grab one of the traffickers by the arms and flung them off the boat. Lapras dipped her head into the water and reemerged with the water-logged man in her mouth, depositing him in one of the dinghies so the police could handcuff him.

“How are we going to get on board?” Masaru asked. “It’s not like they’re gonna lower ladders.” As if on cue, the larger Flying Pokémon banked down to the officers in the dinghies and gripped several of them by the upper arms or allowed the officers to grab a hold of them. In unison, the Pokémon lifted off and dropped the officers on the boat’s deck. The traffickers scattered once the officers touched down.

“Cool!” Masaru shouted. “Lift me up!”

“You’re staying here,” Uncle Jiro said sternly. “Come on, Shuichi.”

“You… you want me to come with you?” Shuichi asked incredulously.

“Don’t dawdle,” Jun teased. 

One of the officers on the top deck lowered a rope ladder for them and stood guard while the detectives climbed up. Shuichi returned Lumine and Scout to the Pokéballs for the climb and released them on the deck. Rantaro jumped from Lapras’ head and grabbed the ladder, soon joined by his Gallade making a fantastic leap onto the deck. Almost immediately, a woman tried to tackle Shuichi to the floor only to be hip-checked by Jiro and sent tumbling. Fang leapt from his Pokéball and tackled the woman before she could get back to her feet. She attempted to elbow him in the chest, but Fang grabbed her forearm in his mouth. She stumbled to the side and tried ripping her arm from his grip but failed. Jun jumped in before Fang could mangle the woman too badly and handcuffed her, dragging her to the bow and placing her with the other traffickers already detained. Pokémon chased down traffickers, sometimes even chasing them over the railing only for Water Pokémon to grab them. Shuichi tried to stay out of the way of the chaos, only to almost stumble into a gaping hole in the deck of the ship. Based on the angle, this was where whatever punctured the ship had entered, since it appeared to line up with the exit wound in the hull.

“Shuichi, I want you and Rantaro to head below deck and make sure the cargo hold isn’t too flooded. Rescue any Pokémon that are in immediate danger,” Jiro ordered.

“I had to listen to Kaito complain endlessly about getting in trouble with your uncle. How come he’s allowing me to help?” Rantaro asked as they carefully made their way down the stairs, which was a little difficult since the ship was still tipped. 

“Probably because he knows you have a cool head and won’t dive headfirst into this. Also, we’re using your Lapras and boat, so he probably feels he needs to include you.”

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they already stepped in about two inches of standing water. Lumine jumped into Shuichi’s arms to avoid the water while Scout forged his way through. The hallway was tilted and walking through the water proved to be difficult. The ship was divided into two separate cargo holds, each running the length of the ship. Due to how the ship was slanted, one of the cargo holds was under the water level while the other was lifted out. The one under the water level was the one where the hull had been breached. Their only hope was not too much water had rushed through before Lapras’ Ice Beam had plugged the hole. The second they entered the doorway of the first cargo hold, they were assaulted by the cries of dozens of caged Pokémon.

“Calm down! It’s okay!” Rantaro tried to soothe them. It looked like the water level hadn’t risen enough to drown the Pokémon whose cages were on the bottom of the stacks, but just barely. Those poor Pokémon were clinging to the mesh and struggling to hold their noses above the water. “These cages are empty!” Rantaro pointed to the empty stacks. “Let’s stack the upper cages on top of these and lift the bottom ones out of the water.”

Lumine jumped out of Shuichi’s arms to stand on one of the cages. Shuichi, Rantaro, and Gallade trudged through a water level that had risen nearly to their knees, Scout being forced to swim after them. The three of them began hauling the cages and stacking them on top of the empty ones, finally lifting the bottom-most cages. As each cage was lifted, the Pokémon collapsed in relief after having to keep themselves on their toes just to breathe. Shuichi was already shivering, his teeth chattering as his clothes were soaked through. The water was extra chilly due to the giant iceberg planted into the hull. Shuichi and Rantaro both grasped the bottom of a large cage holding a Crabrawler and began lifting, only for Lumine’s barking to startle them. They unceremoniously dropped the cage back into the water and spun around to the doorway. Two men, both holding blunt objects, came crashing through the water, swinging as they slogged their way toward the boys.

“Gallade!” Rantaro shouted reflexively. The Psychic/Fighting-type leaped forward, extending his elbow blades, and blocked the flailing weapons. Lumine jumped from cage to cage and sank his teeth into one of the men’s forearms. The injured man bellowed in pain and swung his arm around, trying to knock Lumine loose. He finally did, sending the puppy Pokémon flying into the water.

“Lumine, no!” Shuichi dove forward, frantically searching the water for his Pokémon. Scout heaved himself out of the water and started sending Swift stars at their attackers. The injured man ducked away, applying pressure to his bleeding wounds. The various Pokémon in the cages began roaring and screaming at the traffickers, throwing themselves against the mesh and bars.

“Use Close Combat!” Rantaro commanded. Gallade shoved against the attacking man’s weapon and thrust both fists into his stomach. The man doubled over gasping while Gallade delivered another blow between his shoulder blades that dropped him into the water. The injured man must have realized he wasn’t dealing with some person’s pet Pokémon and that Gallade was a competent and skilled fighter. He stumbled backward, falling into the water before scrambling for the stairs.

“Let him go,” Rantaro ordered his Pokémon. “There’s nowhere he can run.”

Shuichi shouted in triumph when he successfully lifted Lumine out of the water. The poor Rockruff shuddered as the water dripped from his fur. “You’re going to be okay,” Shuichi assured him, returning him to his Pokéball so he wouldn’t suffer anymore.

Rantaro pulled the unconscious trafficker out of the water and propped him against the wall. He and Shuichi returned to the cage they dropped and lifted the Crabrawler onto one of the empty cages. Despite being soaked through and shivering, they continued working until all the caged Pokémon were clear of the water level. There was a sudden thudding of footsteps on the stairs coming toward them. Shuichi, Rantaro, and Gallade all stiffened and faced the doorway, ready to combat whoever was rearing their head for a fight.

“Shuichi, you down here?”

“Masaru?!” Shuichi gasped. “You were supposed to wait on the boat!”

“No one saw me, it’s fine,” the boy promised, peeking around the door. He tramped through the water and started looking into each cage.

“There’re no Jangmo-o here,” Shuich interrupted his investigation. “But we have another cargo hold to look through. We only came here first because it was flooded. Now, start helping us carrying these to the top deck.”

“But you said there’s another cargo hold!” Masaru argued.

“A cargo hold that isn’t flooding and can wait for us to get these guys out of here,” Shuichi specified. Masaru relented and started helping in carrying one of the smaller cages up to the deck while Shuichi and Rantaro picked up and carried the unconscious trafficker. By the time they had emerged from below deck, it appeared most of the traffickers had been apprehended and were screaming obscenities at the officers. Pokémon stalked back and forth, keeping an eye on the criminals.

“Are you kidding me!?” Uncle Jiro caught sight of Masaru. “How come whenever I allow civilians into these situations, they never have the common sense to obey the orders of law enforcement?”

“Maybe that should be a red flag?” Rantaro hesitantly suggested. He hastily set down the unconscious man after Jiro shot a glare at him and hurried back down to the cargo holds.

“Okay everyone, let’s start hauling these cages!”

Due to the narrowness of the stairway, everyone was forced to walk single-file. Shuichi was already thinking of how they could establish a convenient way to get the cages up. It was decided to keep the Pokémon in the cages until they reached the marina, lest they jump out while being transported on the water. Since they were already soaked, Shuichi, Rantaro, Masaru, and Gallade walked back into the water and started grabbing cages. Scout planted himself on top of one of the empty cages, drenched fur weighing him down and making him exhausted. 

“Eevee were not meant to swim,” said Masaru.

“Then why do they evolve into Vaporeon?” Jiro replied from the doorway.

The four in the cargo hold each picked up a cage and brought it to the doorway. One by one, each cage was grabbed by a helper and passed to the next person up the staircase until it reached the deck, where waiting officers dragged them to the railing. They prioritized the small cages that could be carried by a single person, saving the larger cages that required multiple carriers for last because the helpers would have to clear the staircase. Despite Shuichi’s statement earlier, Masaru investigated each cage to see if Jingles was there, his spirits dying gradually until all the occupied cages had been cleared from the hold. But, when Shuichi announced they were heading for the second cargo hold, Masaru ran ahead to be the first to enter. Unlike the flooded hold, this one was completely dry due to the angle of the tipped ship. Still, the caged Pokémon were just as eager to be rescued. Shuichi barely stepped inside before Masaru suddenly shouted.

“Jingles!” the boy had rushed to one of the cage stacks, a Jangmo-o desperately bashing its head against the mesh of its cage. “I found you! I found you! I knew you’d show up here at some point! I’ve been waiting for months! I finally found you!” He dropped to his knees and hugged the cage, pressing his cheek against the mesh so hard it would inevitably leave a grid-like imprint. Without exchanging any words, everyone unanimously decided to give them a minute to bask in their reunification. 

“Let’s open that up, shall we?” said Rantaro, stepping into the second cargo hold. “Masaru, stand back. Gallade, use Psycho Cut!” Gallade extended his elbows blades again and sliced through the mesh of the cage with ease. Masaru dove forward and pried the broken edges apart enough for Jingles to struggle through.

“I knew I’d find you!” Masaru held his Pokémon tightly in his arms.

It became apparent Masaru had little else on his mind, so Takaaki guided him back to the top deck so he was out of the way while everyone else started hauling the cages out. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, but the chilled air combined with his wet clothes left Shuichi a shivering mess as his legs went numb. Rantaro was feeling the chill as well when he stumbled and almost bashed his head on the edge of a cage.

“Why don’t the two of you go back to the boat?” Uncle Jiro recommended. “Get out of those clothes and warm up.”

“I don’t have spares,” Shuichi responded.

“I do,” Rantaro interjected. “I’ll lend you some.”

The prospect of shedding his wet clothes was very appealing, so Shuichi descended the rope ladder without complaint, Scout splayed on the top of his head. Megumi was waiting with towels, and Shuichi was so eager to be warm he didn’t feel embarrassed about stripping down to his boxers in front of Rantaro. The borrowed clothes were a little big for him, but they were dry and that was all that mattered; although, he did have to borrow a belt to keep the pants up. Scout was rubbed with a towel until he looked like a Woobat without wings. Shuichi emerged from below deck to officers lowering cages from the ship via ropes. Masaru had joined them on the Amami boat and was attempting to help with only one hand, the other arm tightly clutching Jingles. Some of the search and rescue squad in their wetsuits were using the floating pier hitched to Lapras to load up cages of Pokémon who wouldn’t be injured if they got wet. Once the deck was crowded with cages, Rantaro steered the boat back toward the marina.

“We have company,” Masaru pointed to the boat launch of the marina. A crowd of people were waiting. Even from a distance, Shuichi could tell they weren’t law enforcement considering quite a few of them were wearing jackets over pajamas.

“Toss a rope!” a woman stood on the edge of the dock, holding her hand out. “We’ll pull you close so we can unload the Pokémon.”

“How did you know to come help?” Shuichi asked.

“There was a public announcement; we all got messages on our phones. It was broadcast a ship full of stolen Pokémon was sinking offshore and local officers needed help.” Satisfied with that answer, Shuichi threw one of the mooring ropes and several people helped pulled the boat flush against the dock. People jumped onboard and began handing the cages to recipients standing on the dock. Lapras caught up and gently swung the floating pier so it partially beached itself on the boat launch, allowing the officers to carrying the cages up the ramp. 

And so it was, into the early hours of the morning. The Amami boat, Lapras, and the dinghies made several trips back and forth between the marina and the traffickers’ ship. First priority were the caged Pokémon, handled with the upmost care; meanwhile, the traffickers were discretely splashed and shoved onto the marina dock with just enough caution that no one could claim brutality. Strong Pokémon slashed the cages open, allowing the Alolan Pokémon to climb out and swarm the volunteers, looking for affection.

Under the light of a pink and orange sunrise, Shuichi stood on the edge of the boat launch and looked out over the water to the half-tipped ship. “What are we going to do about that?” he asked his uncle, pointing to the vessel.

“The precinct will likely pull it to shore and take it in as evidence,” Jiro answered. “After that, I don’t know… scrap metal? It’s kind of useless with the gaping hole in it. I wonder how that happened?”

“Angie says a Lunala did it,” Shuichi replied absentmindedly. “Where’d she go, anyway?”

“What’s a Lunala?”

“A Legendary Pokémon from Alola.”

“Speak of the devil.”

Shuichi turned and saw Angie trotting towards him, struggling to carry a canvas as long as her arm-span. “Where have you been?” he asked her once she was close enough. “You disappeared hours ago.”

“I needed the image to be big enough for Lapras to look at,” she explained, turning the canvas so he could see what was on it. At a glance, he might have mistaken the creature for a Swoobat. It had large wings and no legs, but the amount of detail Angie put into it told a different story, despite it being only a pencil drawing and not one of her paintings. It was so detailed Shuichi could see every line of the creature’s body, ripples of the water beneath it, and even faint craters of the full moon behind the creature, nearly eclipsed by its immense wingspan.

“What is that?” Uncle Jiro questioned, examining the drawing over Shuichi’s shoulder. Rantaro soon joined them as well, curious about what was so fascinating.

“This is Lunala,” Angie proudly declared. “I saw her arise beyond the horizon, fill with the power of the full moon, and strike down the ship!”

“Why do you keep calling it a ‘she?’” Shuichi asked.

“Lunala is always referred to as a female in the legends, just like Solgaleo is male.”

“I’m guessing Solgaleo is Lunala’s counterpart? If Lunala is the moon, then Solgaleo is the sun, right? If I remember correctly, that’s what Kiyo said.”

“Yep!” Angie chirped.

“Well, the sun’s rising,” said Rantaro. “Are we going to see Solgaleo unleash a Flamethrower powered by the sun itself?”

“Wait-wait-wait,” Uncle Jiro interrupted. “You’re saying you saw this thing appear from nowhere, attack the ship, and then vanish?” he asked Angie. “If that were true, what is a Legendary from Alola doing all the way out here?”

“Why do you doubt?” Angie replied. “Lapras, come here, girl!” Angie picked up the canvas and held it up for Lapras, who was returning from her last trip pulling the floating pier, to look at. “Did you see this creature?”

Lapras bent her head and investigated the canvas, turning to the side to analyze more closely. She then reared her head back and nodded in an overenthusiastic way.

“See?” said Angie. “She saw a Lunala!”

“Maybe she’s just admiring your art?” Rantaro implied.

Any further conversation was halted by Shuichi violently sneezing. “I guess that’s our cue,” said Jiro. “Shuichi, go wait by the car. I need to ask Takaaki something first and then I’ll take you home.”

With the possibility of some hot food and getting to snuggle back into his warm bed, Shuichi obeyed without question, bid farewell to his friends, picked up Scout, and returned to the car. Jiro returned with Masaru and Jingles after a few minutes. “I offered to take Masaru back to Takaaki’s house. I’ll drop you off at home, drop him off, then I’m going to come back here and keep helping. You stay at home and rest up; no doubt you won’t be feeling a hundred percent after taking a dip in that water.”

*

The stress that had plagued him not long ago had lessened but not disappeared. The feeling of uneasiness continued to plague him, even after the freight ship full of Pokémon had been apprehended and the traffickers arrested. Because, that was the event he had sensed was coming…right? Maybe it was the fog of illness.

Shuichi rolled in his cocoon of blankets. Jiro had been right about in his inevitable sickness. Shuichi woke up with a fever and aching body. He had migrated from his room to the downstairs sofa, so he had easy access to food and water from the kitchen, and to the television. Uncle Jiro had to go to work and Aunt Ayame was able to negotiate a half-day but had to go to work until noon. So, for now, he was resting on the couch with Lumine and Scout, dozing to the faint noise of the television. That is, until the harsh ring of the doorbell roused him. Groaning in pain and irritation, Shuichi heaved himself off the couch and shuffled to the door.

“Well, don’t you look bright and merry?”

“I… eh, what?” Shuichi rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on who had intruded into his home. “Phantom?”

“Nice to see you still have that private-eye perception.” Phantom grinned, but there was a certain tenseness in his smile. He pushed past Shuichi and walked inside, looking around while Shuichi shut the door. “Nice place you’ve got here.”

“What are you doing here?” Shuichi rasped, not in the mood to deal with the smaller boy right now. “How did you find out where I live?

“Trust me, you don’t want to know the answer to that question. Look, I heard about the sinking ship and I had some information for you.”

“Sinking ship… You mean the ship you didn’t warn me was coming?” Even Shuichi was shocked by his accusatory tone but lacked the mental fortitude to stop himself. “I thought we had an agreement! I thought you trusted me!”

“Trusted you?” Phantom laughed in a harsh tone. “Hah! You wish! But we did have an agreement and, I assure you, I did not break it.”

“You promised you would tell us if any of the traffickers were passing through!” Shuichi shouted. He couldn’t help it; he was angry at Phantom and his apparent disregard for the situation at hand. “You liar!”

“I may be a liar, but I didn’t lie about this!” Phantom snapped. “That ship was not loaded here; it came from the north.”

“It doesn’t matter if the Pokémon weren’t loaded onto the ship at our docks, if we can stop the ship then you should have told us it was here!”

“But it wasn’t here!” Phantom argued back. Their voices were rousing Lumine and Scout. The duo recognized Phantom, but given his aggressive display toward their trainer, they approached with hostility. Phantom noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye and released one of his Pokémon. His shiny Roselia immediately took up a battling stance, holding her purple and black rose-hands in front of her body.

“Rugosa, keep them back!” Phantom ordered.

“You will not threaten my Pokémon in my house!” Shuichi shouted.

“I didn’t come here to pick a fight!” Phantom snarled. “That boat was off-course!”

His voice rang in Shuichi’s ear, startling the young detective. “Off-course?” he repeated softly.

“Yes, you dumbass! That boat came from up the coast and departed before we could stop it. It was supposed to go straight to Alola but came south instead. It was heading for Litra when it wasn’t supposed to be. That means something made it come here.”

“It was attacked. Could the attack have happened on the open ocean and it changed course because it was sinking?” Shuichi wondered out loud. But that didn’t make sense. Angie said she saw a Lunala hit the boat with a beam attack, which means the attack (if it happened) took place close to shore. Besides, the damage was too great for the boat to have been on its way to Alola only to turn around and head back for the mainland. It would have sunk long before it was even visible in the marina. No, the damage was dealt within view of the shore. Phantom was right: the boat was heading to Litra City. 

“There’s something here, in this specific city, that made them change course and come here,” said Phantom. “DICE and I have been thinking about it, but do you have any ideas? We thought it might have been because of the dock raid. Maybe those Pokémon had been abducted again and the ship was coming to pick them up, but that wouldn’t be a smart move on their part. In fact, if they were smart, they’d avoid Litra altogether.”

 _What was so important the traffickers would divert their course and risk getting discovered? What was here?_ Icy tendrils suddenly gripped Shuichi’s heart when he realized he knew the answer: Mosaic. Mosaic was here. _Beast Killer._

“You’ve got a very blatant ‘oh shit’ expression, so I’m guessing you know the answer,” said Phantom. “What is it?”

“I… can’t tell you,” Shuichi mumbled. He was starting to feel light-headed from his illness.

Phantom looked miffed. “And why not? Aren’t we partners in stopping the traffickers?”

“You just said you don’t trust me,” Shuichi accused. “Why would I tell you when I haven’t even told my friends?” Okay, one of them knew about Mosaic, but he wasn’t about to reveal that.

“Because if whatever it is causes these guys to start coming into the city in droves, I’m risking the lives and safety of my subordinates to raid those boats! Or maybe you don’t care?” Phantom retorted.

“You’re vigilantes! You’re not supposed to be doing these things anyway!”

“You weren’t saying that when we stopped that truck and saved your ass!”

“Stay out of it!”

“Or what? You’ll arrest me?”

“Or the Kuzuryu Clan will make you stay out of it!” Shuichi yelled before he could stop himself.

Phantom balked, an expression of genuine surprise on his face. “You’re fraternizing with yakuza? Oh me, oh my, you make me sigh; you’re such a woooonky-ass character! Do you have a death wish?”

Shuichi stumbled backward until he hit the back of the couch and rested against it. “I… somewhat know what I’m doing. Look, don’t go snooping into the Kuzuryu Clan’s business; I don’t want you getting hurt. I’m sorry for shouting at you and accusing you of not telling me about the ship. I believe you; it was unscheduled— mostly because I know what they were looking for. Just… please let this go. The thing they’re looking for— they must know it’s in the city somewhere, but they don’t know where exactly.”

“If they can find it, so could I,” Phantom threatened.

“Fine. Go find it, just don’t get your head blown off. As long as you leave it where it is when you find it, and don’t get mauled, I don’t care what you do.”

“’Mauled’… so it’s alive? It’s a Pokémon, isn’t it? One that you have to keep secret? Fine, I’ll let it go… for now. And the next time a ship arrives unscheduled, don’t scream at me for it. Rugosa, let’s go.” Phantom gave Shuichi a side-long glare and promptly left with his Roselia, slamming the door as hard as he could on purpose.

Shuichi sighed and rubbed his face, looking at Lumine and Scout. “I should probably alert the Clan, so they don’t shoot him.”

*

“So, this kid is harassing you?” Fuyuhiko gently tapped his fork against his plate before gripping it in a suggestive way similar to wielding a knife.

“No, he was just upset,” Shuichi clarified, slightly unnerved by the yakuza boss’s willingness to incite violence. “Please don’t stab him.”

“We won’t stab him, just scare him,” said Peko.

Shuichi nodded absentmindedly, rubbing his throat. Nagito offered him a cup of tea to soothe his throat from all the coughing and sneezing he’d done while ill. As soon as his fever had broken, he had requested a meeting with Fuyuhiko to protect Phantom in case the thief attempted to sneak around. What he hadn’t expected was for the meeting to be a fancy lunch in the courtyard. Apparently, one of the members was a talented chef and could make extravagant meals for them whenever they asked. After sampling some of the food, Shuichi was finding it difficult not to ask to join the Kuzuryu Clan just so he could eat like this every day.

“So, you told this kid about Mosaic?” said Fuyuhiko.

“Not exactly. He knows there’s something the traffickers are after located in Litra and that you guys are involved, but not specifics.”

“Way to be discrete.”

“I was delirious!” Shuichi argued. “And he was pestering me, but he did make some good points. I wasn’t exactly sympathetic to him and DICE and said some things I wish I hadn’t.”

“Do you consider him a friend?” Nagito asked.

“I don’t know much about him, so I can’t answer that with confidence.” Shuichi started chewing on a small sandwich as an excuse to stop speaking. Honestly, he didn’t know what to think of his relationship with Phantom. The other boy had made it perfectly clear he didn’t trust Shuichi, and Shuichi wasn’t sure he trusted him either. Although he and Phantom had similar end goals, he couldn’t help but feel he had soured the affiliation by his accusations.

“I consider him an ally, but I wouldn’t quite say ‘friend,’” Shuichi finally admitted.

“If you don’t consider him a friend, if I were you, I’d be more concerned he has your phone number and knows where you live,” said Peko.

“He won’t do anything,” Shuichi replied dismissively before freezing up. “I don’t know why I said that with confidence, but it’s true. He did pull a knife on me the first time I saw him in regular clothing, but he wasn’t being violent. Other than that, he hasn’t given me a reason to believe he’ll try to harm me.”

“Call us if he gets violent,” said Fuyuhiko.

Shuichi began distractedly tracing patterns on the table. Lumine and Scout were playing with Hope and Joy, chasing the two Vulpix around the courtyard. They were enjoying what sunshine they had for now; the weather would soon fade into autumn. Shuichi enjoyed moments like these; it was quiet, and he had a clear mind. In these moments, he was able to think more lucidly and reflect on everything that had happened over the past couple months. The sinking ship stuck out in his memory. Even after his sickness had faded, the uneasy feeling remained. The sinking ship veering off course, targeting Litra City, seeking Mosaic, and Angie’s claim of seeing Lunala— what did it all mean?

“Are you okay?” Nagito asked, obviously concerned.

“The sinking ship changed course and came here to find Mosaic—”

“I assure you, we haven’t had any signs of someone investigating the compound,” said Fuyuhiko. 

“I think they know he’s here because he was brought here by the traffickers and there was no public release of information about a newly-discovered artificial Pokémon after I caught the first two guys. Going by that logic, the implication is Mosaic, or Type: Null, either wasn’t found or someone is hiding him. They don’t know where he is, all they know is he’s here in Litra. These people are organized, and whoever is leading them wants Mosaic. But that’s not all. My friend Angie claims she saw a Lunala attack the ship, and that’s why it was sinking in the marina.”

“Lunala?” Nagito repeated. “The Legendary Lunala?”

“You’re familiar with the legends?”

“Not really,” said Peko. “We don’t know specific legends, but we know the basics of their importance in Alolan culture. This girl… was she coherent when she claimed this?”

“She told me she had been painting into the early hours, so she was sleep-deprived. She has a studio in a warehouse near the docks and has a clear view of the water. If she was painting in her studio, then, if the Lunala did appear, she would have easily seen it. Now sleep-deprivation and legend-come-to-life aside, she did sketch a drawing of the scene from memory. She showed me the drawing and… it was very detailed. I could see every detail of the Lunala’s body, the ripples of the water, even the moon and stars. I don’t know if she has a photographic memory, but I’d be convinced based on that drawing alone.”

“So, what’s the problem?” said Fuyuhiko, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders as if the topic of Legendary Pokémon appearing from nowhere was nothing to him.

“She claims she saw a _Lunala_ , a Legendary Pokémon, appear over the horizon and attack the ship. I mean, legends are legends for a reason, right? They’re just stories.”

Based on the glances the three yakuza members exchanged, Shuichi wouldn’t be finding support for his statement here. Peko suddenly pulled out her phone and started searching through her gallery, find whatever it was she was looking for and showing him. Gundam, the owner of the Pokémon Daycare, was in the photo with a young man Shuichi hadn’t seen before. And…

“Is that a Victini?” Shuichi gaped at the photo. 

“Yes,” Peko confirmed. “Just because Legendaries and Mythicals don’t play as big of a role in our lives that common Pokémon do, doesn’t mean they’re just fantasy.”

“Are you saying there’s a chance Angie was telling the truth?”

“Not just ‘a chance,’” said Fuyuhiko. “You said she’s from Alola and knows all the legends. If she seemed absolutely convinced she saw a Lunala, and produced evidence, then she probably saw a Lunala.”

“I don’t know if I’d call the drawing indisputable evidence. Angie’s an amazing artist, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she was able to draw the scene and added in the Lunala. I’m sure there’re pictures of Lunala in Alola that she’s seen.”

“As detailed as the drawing?” said Nagito.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen many examples.” He paused in thought. “But I think I know where I could find some.”

*

The museum was crowded, as it always was, but Shuichi was able to stride purposefully through the crowds since he knew exactly where he was going. If anyone gave him odd stares for walking through the doors to the curators’ offices, he didn’t notice. Kiyo was in his office, sorting through a binder of photocopied photos like he had shown Shuichi when the latter talked with him months earlier. Shuichi rapped his knuckles against the doorframe, unintentionally spooking Kiyo, who obviously wasn’t expecting visitors.

“Shuichi? To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I need to see any photos or pictures you have of Lunala.”

“Lunala?” Kiyo narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Why that Pokémon specifically?”

“Because Angie says she saw one over the water.”

“Oh yes, I’m aware of her claims. I’ve seen the pencil drawing she made.” Kiyo stood up and approached one of the shelves in his office, sorting through the binders. He apparently found what he was looking for and pulled the binder out, opening it on his desk top. “Unfortunately, there aren’t many photographs of ruins in Alola. The ruins that are most well-maintained are considered sacred and it’s unlikely for researchers to be allowed to enter. Here is all I have.”

There was no way Angie drew the picture of Lunala based on these images. The photo Kiyo had showed Shuichi the first time he was here was included in the collection. Most of the pictures were of stone imprints and carvings and were in terrible condition. Clearly, the ruins the pictures were from were exposed to the air and had deteriorated. He was able to make out a general body shape for each creature. One was clearly Lunala in that it was vaguely triangle-shaped with two wings and a tail that formed the lower half of its body. Other than that, there was nothing more in the imprint: no detail, no description, there was barely even a head. The other image was a little better, but that still wasn’t saying much. Both images were designed to look as if the Pokémon were facing head-on. The second one had four legs while its face looked circular, or perhaps it was a cone if one looked down at it from above. The next page had two photos of different imprints that were a side view of the creatures. Lunala looked to be mid-flight with its wings raised behind its back, poised for a downstroke. It was more obvious the other one was a four-legged beast and the head had a thick mane around it. He might have mistaken it for a straight-maned Pyroar if Pyroar were native to Alola.

“Solgaleo?” Shuichi pointed to the four-legged one. 

“Yes,” Kiyo nodded. 

“These two are supposed to be counterparts, right? They look nothing alike.”

“The sun and moon are both celestial bodies, but they don’t look exactly alike, nor do they have the same material makeup— although, you’d be better off asking Kaito about that. What I’m saying is, just because two Pokémon are counterparts doesn’t mean they have to resemble one another. It’s what each represents that matters.”

“If you say so,” Shuichi sighed.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m going to be honest with you: I never really believed the Legendary stories. I just thought they were fairytales, or ancient humans’ explanations for things that couldn’t be explained at the time. But, lately, I’ve been shown evidence they’re real.”

“It can be traumatizing for your world view to be shattered like that,” Kiyo sympathized.

“I’m not traumatized, just… shocked, I suppose? Angie’s pencil drawing was so thorough… Are you sure there isn’t a clearer depiction of Lunala somewhere? You said there are more well-maintained ruins on the islands.”

“If Angie had access to those ruins, then it’s possible there’s an image of Lunala she might have seen. But remember, she hasn’t been on the islands for a couple years by this point. Either she has an amazing memory, or she saw a Lunala.”

“But what are the chances of this happening!? Besides, if there’s a chance there aren’t any preserved pictures of Lunala anywhere, then how is she so sure she saw one?” Shuichi speculated.

“You need to understand how these stories are integrated into Alolan culture: stories and dances performed in every generation and then passed down. It’s considered a cultural rite of passage for some to perfect the traditional dances and arts. Shuichi, these are _very_ old stories, so old that the ruins depicting them are crumbling due to the islands’ vulnerability to severe weather, but the stories themselves live on. As far as I know, there are no modern images depicting Lunala and Solgaleo, but their visage is maintained through other means. So, if you want my personal opinion,” Kiyo made direct eye contact with Shuichi, “I think Angie saw a Lunala.”

Shuichi knew, in the back of his mind, that was always a possibility, even before he started thinking the legends might be true. Angie had seemed so genuinely convinced and the picture was too perfectly detailed. The doubt in his mind was starting fade and he was forced to acknowledge what he once thought was impossible. Kaito always said “the impossible is possible, all you have to do is make it so.”

_I didn’t exactly try to make this situation possible though._

“What does this all mean?” Shuichi wondered.

“It doesn’t have to mean anything,” Kiyo replied. “Some Legendary Pokémon are said to be guardians while others aren’t. Some have a purpose, others just exist. Why it appeared here instead of in Alola baffles me, but maybe Angie could offer some insight.” He stood up from his chair and gestured towards the door. “She’s here in the Alola wing, shall we go visit her?”

There were people crowding around the partition wall reading the poster the museum had placed indicating what the new wing was going to be about. Shuichi and Kiyo slipped through the small door in the partition and were immediately greeted by the vast empty hall. Well, not quite empty. There was now a large scaffolding frame at the other end of the hall. Due to the design of the vaulted ceiling, there was a walled arch at the end of the hall and a partial arch over the open doorway at the entrance. As they approached, Shuichi was able to see three moving figures scrambling up and down the scaffold. He glanced up to see what the scaffold had been put up for and stopped dead in his tracks. It was only a basic sketch, but it was obviously Angie’s drawing of Lunala. 

“So this is what visitors will be greeted with when they enter the Alola wing?” said Shuichi.

“Hello-hello!” Angie greeted them, waving from up on the scaffold. She scrambled down the ladders like a professional acrobat, her Smeargle jumping after her. A young boy was standing with a large variety of art supplies near the bottom of the ladder. He glanced at Shuichi and Kiyo before looking towards the floor.

“This is Jataro, he’s my apprentice,” Angie introduced the boy for him since he was too shy to do so. “Well-well?” she gestured to the sketch. “What do you think?”

“I guess it was meant to be?” Shuichi hesitantly offered. "I thought you were painting the Coming of Solgaleo and Lunala? 

“Angie said Lunala gifted her with inspiration,” said Jataro, speaking in a slow manner. "Her appearance was a sign."

“Solgaleo will go on that end,” Angie pointed to the arch at the entrance of the hall, partially blocked by the partition wall. 

“You know what Solgaleo looks like? You have a picture?” Shuichi asked.

“Nope!” she chirped cheerfully. “But Lunala appeared, so Solgaleo must be close as well!”

“And what logic do you base that assumption on?” Kiyo inquired.

“Not logic, _faith_ ,” she specified. “Lunala appeared to deliver her grand judgement. Solgaleo will appear to aid our fight.”

“Fight?” said Shuichi.

“Yes-yes, in defeating the traffickers!”

_You’d think the two would be in favor of the traffickers since they’re returning Pokémon to Alola._

“I can hear your thoughts from here, Shuichi,” Angie lightly scolded. “Lunala obviously recognizes the traffickers are the villains; otherwise, she wouldn’t have attacked the ship. She didn’t want those Pokémon to return to Alola, because she knows they belong with their families.”

“How would she know that?”

“She could hear their cries of despair and saved them. Beast who calls forth the moon! Protector of Alola!”

“I thought the Guardian deities were the protectors of Alola?” said Kiyo.

“Guardian deities? What are those?” Shuichi asked. He vaguely remembered the name being mentioned at some point, probably by Angie.

“Nicknamed the ‘Tapu,’ the Guardian deities are four Pokémon, one to each island, who are the protectors of the islands,” Angie explained. “Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Fini. They’ve existed for as long as the islands have existed. In fact, the original legend of Lunala and Solgaleo states the Guardian deities battled against Lunala and Solgaleo when they first appeared from the heavens.”

“So the Tapu are older than Lunala and Solgaleo?”

“It’s difficult to say. Lunala and Solgaleo appeared from the heavens, but it’s never stated if they came from somewhere else or if that was their creation. The Tapu have existed for as long as the islands have. It’s never confirmed in the legends, but I think they’re the physical vessels of each island’s natural energy. That’s why they protect them: if the islands disappear, so do they.”

“Angie,” Shuichi interjected, “I want to hear the origin story of Lunala and Solgaleo.”

Angie tilted her head in curiosity. “The story is known as ‘The Light of Alola.’ Long ago, when the light of the world was shapeless, Lunala and Solgaleo appeared from the heavens and descended upon the Alolan Islands. The Guardian deities waged a grand war against the two, believing they were threats to the islands. The deities were defeated, but Lunala and Solgaleo showed no ill will towards them and peace was made between them.” Angie’s voice seemed to adopt a chant-like rhythm as she told the story. “The ancient kings bowed before these great beasts, who channeled the shapeless light into the moon and sun. They were worshipped as gods and bestowed upon the people of Alola a mighty gift. Even after Lunala and Solgaleo vanished, as long as the people of Alola protect that gift, we will always have the protection and favor of the Beasts of Light.”

“What was the gift?”

“I think it was either called the ‘cocoon of the stars' or the 'power of the stars.' I've heard both.”

“What could that be?” said Kiyo. “An artifact? Maybe the Z-crystals?”

“No,” Angie shook her head. “I’ve never heard of any Z-crystal begin referred to as a cocoon. I’m not sure what the gift is, but I never became a priestess of the Tapu, so I didn’t get to see some the hidden ruins and artifacts.”

_So, there are hidden ruins! But… Angie never saw them._

“Why the sudden interest in the Beasts of Light, Shuichi? Huh? _Huh_?” Angie playfully teased him.

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, because he knew what happened when Angie’s ego was inflated, he had to say it. “I’m interested because… I believe you.”

Angie froze up, tilting her head again. “Believe me?”

“I believe you saw a Lunala, and it attacked the ship.” Shuichi suddenly found himself swept up in twirling dance by Angie. He struggled to keep his footing and she threw him around with unnatural strength.

“Please stop!” he begged, finally extracting himself from her grip. “I don’t know if your legends are true, but I at least acknowledge Lunala exists and is a very powerful Pokémon.”

“We must convert him,” Angie said to Kiyo.

The two began discussing Alolan stories, leaving Jataro to paint a small picture on one of the sheets they had laid down to catch spills, and leaving Shuichi to contemplate his life choices. Maybe he did feel a little traumatized from having his world view shattered, but he guessed it was better to learn a legend was true than to learn it was false, right? Still, so many of those stories he had heard as a child were so fantastical they seemed impossible. They all seemed like stories for children to take to heart and learn from, not stories adults would believe. He remembered his meeting with Kiyo when he asked if he actually believed all the legends. And Kiyo had said…

“Anything is possible,” Shuichi whispered, so softly that no one else could hear him.

Kaito’s mantra about possibility was about trying your hardest to accomplish what you thought you couldn’t. Kiyo’s words were about how a story shouldn’t be dismissed just because it seemed unlikely.

 _“If even common Pokémon are capable of great feats, who’s to say a single more powerful one capable of much more doesn’t exist somewhere?”_ Shuichi took a step back to look up at the mural-in-progress. Even though the sketch on the wall wasn’t nearly as detailed as Angie’s drawing, he could envision the beast of immense size looming over him. It was still difficult to accept as the truth, but he was beginning to believe. Lunala, emissary of the moon, Legendary of Alola, protector of Alolan Pokémon. Did she appear from the heavens to stop a ship from taking innocent Pokémon away from their families?

Anything is possible.


	8. Play Us a Song Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DICE raises the alarm as three ships unexpectedly dock at the marina and Shuichi may be too late to stop the inevitable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)

### 

Part 1: The Beast in the Basement

### 

Chapter 8: Play Us a Song Tonight

He’d only known Masaru for a little over a month, but Shuichi couldn’t help but feel an odd mixture of happiness and sadness as the boy walked through the doors of the agency, escorted by his parents and Takaaki Ishimaru. Jingles the Jangmo-o happily trotted at his feet, greeting Lumine and Scout when the two approached. One of the Eevee from the breeding center was held tightly in Masaru’s arms, happily squirming at the new sights it was seeing. Shuichi stood up from his desk and approached Masaru and his family.

“Well,” he said awkwardly, “I guess you’ll be returning to your hometown?”

“Yeah. My parents said they’ll let me start my journey at the beginning of next year. I'm thinking of going to Kanto.”

“Think you can wait that long?”

“I have to teach Dragon some basics before then,” said Masaru, holding up his new Eevee. “If I’m going to be a champion, I need to put my Pokémons’ health and safety first.”

“That’s very smart thinking.”

Uncle Jiro came over and started talking with Takaaki and Masaru’s parents, so Shuichi invited Masaru back to his desk space. Masaru set his Eevee down, Scout immediately coming over to sniff at it. Scout had to be at least a third larger than the younger Eevee, obviously showing he was older.

“So, since you always pestered me about it, what are you going to evolve your Eevee into?” Shuichi asked.

“I’m leaning towards a Jolteon, but I’ve decided to wait a while. Pokémon who don’t evolve with an evolutionary stone have to train and mature before they can evolve. I’m not going to take that away from him by evolving him right away. And who knows? Maybe he doesn’t want to be a Jolteon. We’ll find out.” Masaru’s father called to him, drawing the attention of Shuichi and the boy. Masaru sighed and picked up Dragon, awkwardly looking around before he shifted the Eevee into one hand and held the other out to Shuichi.

“Thank you for all your help. Without you, I wouldn’t have found Jingles.” Shuichi smiled and shook hands with Masaru. “Keep a look out for my name in the future, ‘cause it’s gonna be everywhere!”

“I’ll make sure to check the arrest records on a regular basis,” Shuichi joked.

“Hey! That’s not what I meant!” Masaru complained, but cracked a smile halfway through. At the sound of Masaru’s name being called, Shuichi sadly watched as the boy returned to his parents, bid Jiro and Takaaki farewell, and left the agency. Suddenly, it felt like there was an empty hole in his life. Had Masaru really left that big of an impact? There was no denying his determination in finding Jingles had been admirable. 

_And Jingles just happened to be on that exact ship. If they hadn’t gone off-course, we would have never found him. In a strange way, I guess Masaru has Mosaic to thank for finding his Pokémon._

Once Masaru was gone, a strange melancholic ambience fell over the agency. Things were back to normal; at least, for now. Shuichi settled into his desk chair, Lumine and Scout sprawling at his feet. They had a training session with Jun today, but that wasn’t until the afternoon. For now, Shuichi busied himself with whatever he could find. He didn’t have any cases at the moment, so unless someone walked in with a minor case he could complete, but he needed to look busy or risk being put on filing duty. Sure, that was a task he was happy to do when he was younger and wanted to help as a way of thanking his uncle for taking care of him, but not anymore. Just like his colleagues, he dreaded the monotonous task and would go to crazy lengths to avoid it. Apparently, one of his female colleagues, a short but sturdy woman, once managed to cram herself into one of the breakroom cupboards to avoid the task.

Shuichi pulled out a specific file from his bag. He carried this file around with him to reduce the possibility of anyone accidently stumbling across it. It was filled with notes and drawings he’d done of Mosaic, tucked away into the same kind of file they used for cases. After Fuyuhiko had pointed out Shuichi knew nothing about Mosaic’s elemental type, moves, or abilities, Shuichi realized he needed to start taking notes on everything he could. Not only would it help him better understand Mosaic, but he could also use the information to convince others he knew what he was doing. Eventually, he hoped, Mosaic would get to leave the room. Maybe it was a bit selfish, but he hoped Mosaic would become his Pokémon. There was a good chance he didn’t have a true trainer. If Shuichi captured him, then he could better ensure Mosaic wasn’t taken since he could return him to a Pokéball. A small chime on his computer alerted him he had an email. Closing the file of his notes for now, he opened the email upon seeing it was from Kaede. She hadn’t written anything, only attached a pdf file. He opened the file to see it was a ticket of some kind. 

His phone began ringing, but he already had an idea of who it was. “Hello?”

“Did you get the email?” Kaede asked, so excited about something her voice was a little shrill. 

“Yes, I did. What’s the ticket for?”

“I have a concert! Friday night at the Blue Arts Theatre! I’m the headliner for a group of up-and-coming artists!”

“Kaede,” Shuichi winced, “I know you’re excited, but please calm down a little. You’re going to blow out my speaker.”

“Sorry! I’m sorry! I’m just so excited! I’ve sent everyone a ticket for a reserved seat. You’ve got to come with me to pick my dress today!”

“What makes you think I know anything about fashion? Take Rantaro.”

“Oh, he’s coming, so are Maki, Tsumugi, and Kirumi, but I want you there too!”

“What makes you think Maki knows anything about fashion either?”

“Don’t redirect the conversation! I’m on to you, mister!”

Shuichi chuckled from her catching his attempt to shift her focus off himself. Honestly, some time to relax and hang out with his friends sounded pleasant, but he felt a little awkward if he was going to spend time with Kaede while she tried on dresses. It was like those bridal shows his Aunt Ayame used to watch.

“You are coming!” Kaede demanded. “I’m sending my chauffeur!” 

“You have a chauffeur?”

“You’ll see,” she replied in a singsong tone, ending the call.

 _She didn’t tell me when_ … Shuichi realized, but given this was Kaede, it would be sooner rather than later.

Sighing, Shuichi stood up from his desk to go alert his uncle that Kaede was demanding his presence. Early on in their friendship, Kaede would always give him a heads-up and a pickup/meetup time, but his anxiety would often get the best of him and he would call to cancel with a made-up excuse. Once she figured that out, she stopped giving him the meetup times, forcing someone to come get him, and wouldn’t give him the pickup time either, hanging up or stopping the conversation before he could object and find an excuse not to come. Despite his anxiety skyrocketing through the roof, maybe it was for the best; otherwise, he’d never get out of the house. Plodding up the small staircase, Shuichi knocked briefly on the office door and entered. Uncle Jiro shot up in his seat, trying in vain to hide the fact he’d most likely been catching a quick nap.

“Wha—? Shuichi? Um, yes… Yeah, what’s up?” Jiro nonchalantly rested his elbow on the desktop. 

“Kaede called me, so I’m going to disappear for a while.”

“You say that like you’re about to be abducted,” Uncle Jiro laughed.

“In a way, I am, since I don’t want to go.”

Jiro chuckled lowly, very familiar with his nephew’s friends’ varied personalities. “Okay, you probably need to get out of the office for a bit anyway. What’s she dragging you off to do?”

“Kaede’s invited all of us to her upcoming concert and I guess none of the outfits she has are suitable for her performance. She’s already roped Kirumi, Tsumugi, Maki, and Rantaro into finding a new dress.”

“Kiddo, you need to understand something about musicians.” Shuichi jumped when he heard a voice speak from behind him. Jun nudged Shuichi between the shoulder blades to push him out of the doorway so he could enter the office. “When a musician performs, they’re at their pinnacle. When they play, that’s who they truly are and that’s who they want everyone else to see.”

“Are you trying to tell us something, Jun?” Jiro insinuated. 

“Yeah, I’m an artist who’s crying out for attention,” Jun replied. “Don’t ignore me.”

“What do you play?” Shuichi asked.

“The world’s smallest violin. So,” Jun redirected the conversation, “she’s going dress shopping and she wants you there? All she’s going to get is a funeral gown.”

“I wear colors other than black!” Shuichi argued. “Black is just easier to wear.”

“Pick up a suit while you’re out,” Jun replied dismissively, tossing a file onto Jiro’s desk like a frisbee. "And don't worry about our training session. I have a feeling you'll be gone for a while," he said, exiting the office.

Shuichi looked down at himself, pulling at his pant legs and the collar of his shirt. “Do I wear too much black?”

“Nah, you’re good, but maybe try to branch out a little? Upgrade to dark blue. And maybe take Jun’s advice and get a new suit. Your last one was from when you were fifteen.”

“Okay, call me if you need me.” Despite the case having been months ago, he still had quite a bit of money left over from Nagito and Hajime. If he had any aptitude, it was in money management. He was dreading telling Kaede he was looking for a suit though. No doubt she and Tsumugi would go crazy and force him to try everything in sight. Rantaro would enable them just to have some entertainment, Maki wouldn’t care, and Kirumi could go either way but, in this case, might support him trying many different styles since she had experience in fine clothing and presenting oneself. 

For now, he returned to his desk and tried to occupy his thoughts; no point in working himself up over the inevitable. He opened his secret file again, reading over his notes. At first, he had almost assumed Mosaic was a Dark-type based on his coloration, but then realized that was the wrong way to think about this sort of thing. After all, Absol were mostly snow-white and they were Dark-types. Mosaic’s elemental type was difficult to determine since he was made up of different parts of Pokémon. Based on his front legs, he could be a Bug-type. Based on his tail, he could be a Water-type. There was no way to be sure unless Shuichi subjected Mosaic to attacks and observed what was effective. He didn’t know if that was how scientists determined the elemental types of newly-discovered Pokémon, but it was all he could think of. Maybe it would be better if he asked Fuyuhiko if there were alternatives— or perhaps ask Gundam and Sonia. Perhaps any member of the Kuzuryu Clan would do; they were certainly interested in Mosaic—although in different ways.

Nagito practically had to be barricaded from entering the room. Gundam was more eager but also understood the dangers of trying to interact with a hostile Pokémon. Peko was more than happy to watch Mosaic meander around his room through the security cameras, as was Izuru for some strange reason. But Fuyuhiko was a little… different. He observed Mosaic but there were no emotions in his features. It was almost like he was analyzing everything about Mosaic with the intensity of a stalking Pokémon. One time, Shuichi wandered into the warehouse while Fuyuhiko was watching the security feed. The yakuza boss had been speaking with someone on his phone. Shuichi crept by without Fuyuhiko noticing and unintentionally picked up a few words of the conversation, which was obviously about Mosaic. Who could Fuyuhiko be talking to about the Type: Null? He hoped it was just another clan member, but an uneasy feeling had settled in his stomach.

“You ready to go?” Shuichi spooked upon hearing Rantaro’s voice. He flipped the file shut, inadvertently slamming his desktop a bit too loudly. “I’m guessing Kaede didn’t tell you I was coming?”

“She referred to you as her ‘chauffeur,’ but I knew someone was on their way. Can’t you say you never found me? Tell her my uncle submitted a missing person’s report.”

“You already talked to her earlier today,” Rantaro picked out the fault in his argument, spinning his keys around one of his fingers. “Let’s go, no point in dillydallying or Kirumi will scold you about punctuality.”

Shuichi grumbled and collected his stuff. Unfortunately, Rantaro kept guard over him the entire time, preventing him from making a run for it. After returning Lumine and Scout to their Pokéballs and waving his uncle goodbye, Shuichi walked out of the agency and climbed into Rantaro’s car. Despite the fancy car, extravagant boat, and stylish clothing, it was easy to forget how wealthy Rantaro’s family was. That sounded a little strange given all the things Shuichi just mentally listed, but it was true. Rantaro was humble and not one to flaunt his wealth and Shuichi constantly found himself surprised by the former’s affluence.

“How has life been treating you?” Rantaro asked, trying to make idle conversation.

“Just fine. I’ve been training at the dojo. Scout’s almost mastered Return.”

“Return? What a perfect move for him; it’ll be super-powered right away.”

“Yeah,” Shuichi sighed.

“What’s up?”

“I’ve been having this conversation with myself a lot lately. Why hasn’t Scout evolved? Three of the Eeveelutions don’t require an evolutionary item, but he hasn’t evolved into any of them. I can understand Lumine since we’re not frequent battlers, but not Scout.”

“Some Pokémon don’t want to evolve, even if they’re regular battlers. Kaito’s had Nova for years and he hasn’t shown any signs of evolving into Beheeyem. Don’t worry about it.”

“So, if Slowpoke or Dartrix don’t evolve, you’d be okay with that?”

“Slowpoke will never evolve, I’ve accepted that. Dartrix has a chance,” Rantaro shrugged. “Have you ever discussed this with Scout? If they’re aware of their choices, a Pokémon will offer their opinion. Maybe Scout doesn’t want to.”

“But isn’t it natural for them to want to evolve? That’s the next stage of their life, isn’t it?”

“Then how do you account for Pokémon with no evolutions? Or the ones who evolve with stones? Evolution may be natural, but it isn’t always the path they take. If Scout’s happy as he is, then don’t beat yourself up about ‘failing’ him or whatever it is you’ve cooked up in that anxious little brain of yours.” Rantaro tapped Shuichi on the side of his head. Shuichi frowned and started messing with the strap of his bag. 

“Why does this matter so much to you?” Rantaro asked. “Doesn’t your uncle’s best friend have a Growlithe? You don’t see him stressing over hunting down a Fire Stone.”

“I guess,” Shuichi sighed. “Uncle Jiro wants me to get a new suit while I’m out,” he said, trying to offer a new topic. 

“Oooh, we are going to have fun this afternoon!” Rantaro teased. 

Given the design of the building and the vast array of dresses and suits on display in the windows alone, Shuichi might have mistaken the store for a bridal shop if the dresses were obviously not wedding dresses. Regardless, it was still packed full of patrons, men and women trying on dresses and suits. He almost felt intimidated walking through the doors, the same feeling he’d had when preparing for Korekiyo’s birthday dinner at the restaurant. Rantaro waltzed in without a second thought, clearly not bothered or intimidated.

“Over here, boys!” Kaede waved them over to the group of chairs they had claimed in front of one of the mirror sets. Maki and Kirumi were already settled in their chairs. Kirumi’s Gardevoir was also placidly sitting in one of the chairs, her hands folded in her lap just like her trainer.

“Why is Gardevoir here?” Shuichi asked.

“Why not?” Kaede shrugged. She gestured to one of the chairs Shuichi had, at first, thought was unoccupied, but now he saw Alba, Cy, Cloud, and Spooky were crowded onto it. “Who better to judge elegance than a Pokémon who practically breathes it?”

Tsumugi suddenly swooped out of one of the back rooms, her arms comically overloaded with dresses. Kirumi jumped to her feet and took some of the dresses to lighten the load. The two young women hung the dresses on a rack nearby, and while Kirumi took her seat again, Tsumugi immediately starting sorting through the gowns. Rantaro and Shuichi claimed the last chairs and settled in for a long afternoon. Given the amount of dresses Tsumugi had picked out for Kaede to try, Shuichi could only hope they found the perfect dress early into the session.

“Okay, are we ready to begin?” said Tsumugi.

“Shuichi needs a new suit too!” Rantaro suddenly exclaimed. Shuichi grimaced and glared at Rantaro while Tsusmugi’s eyes lit up and sparkled.

Shuichi suddenly found himself yanked to his feet, a tape measure magically appearing from nowhere and wrapping around his arms, legs, waist, and whatever else Tsumugi thought was necessary to know the measurement of to find him a new suit. The tape measure was stowed somewhere in her many pockets and a notepad with a small pencil materialized so she could write his measurements.

“We’ll take care of Kaede first, then we’ll find something for you,” said Tsumugi.

Shuichi inwardly groaned. If they didn’t find Kaede’s dress right away, he was going to be here even longer. Since there was no time like the present, Tsumugi picked three dresses from the rack and dragged Kaede to the fitting rooms, leaving the rest of them in their chairs.

“How’d you get talked into this?” Shuichi asked Maki.

“Kaede wanted me to come because she knew I would be blunt and direct if I thought she didn’t look good in something,” Maki replied.

They didn’t have long to wait, which surprised Shuichi, considering how crowded the store was. Maybe Tsumugi had a private dressing room for Kaede since the former worked here. Or, perhaps, she had Kaede changing in her office instead. The two returned with Kaede wearing a pink dress with a single shoulder strap, decorated with flower made of lace. She also had a darker pink sash with a purple design stitched into it. Kaede looked at herself in the mirror set, twirling and holding the skirt out to look at everything.

“What do you think?” she asked her audience.

“The color goes well with your complexion, the single flower seems a little lonely though,” said Kirumi.

“I don’t think the sash is a different enough color,” said Rantaro. “It blends a little too well and the purple stitching looks like it’s in the bodice of the dress itself.”

“The single shoulder strap doesn’t suit you,” Maki stated indifferently.

Knowing next to nothing about this kind of thing, Shuichi wisely kept his mouth shut. Given his lack of experience, he would be more likely to just agree with what the others were saying than think for himself. Tsumugi held a thoughtful finger to her lips, nodding as each one of them offered their criticism.

“Stick with pastels, try for symmetry. Right!” She grabbed Kaede’s wrist and dragged her away again.

Shuichi wasn’t aware of all the different kinds of dress designs. He could understand different colors and different add-ons like lace or beads, but he hadn’t thought of designs for the bodices, skirts, sashes, and hemlines. Tsumugi was clearly taking their comments to heart and was picking dresses based on them. Kaede was wearing mostly pastel pinks, purples, and blues (and one odd green) with either two straps or strapless. As the hours passed and Shuichi lost count of how many dresses he’d seen, he began to slouch in his chair. Kirumi frowned at his poor posture, but Rantaro and Maki didn’t seem to care. But he shot up when Kaede walked out in the latest dress. In comparison to the previous ones, this one was relatively simple in design. It was pale purple, almost the same color as her eyes. The skirt dropped nearly to her ankles but didn’t drag on the ground. She had a wide sash in a dark violet color and two shoulder straps. 

“That looks great!” Shuichi exclaimed before he could stop himself. Rantaro chuckled while Shuichi blushed and hid his face.

“I’m glad you think so,” Kaede giggled. She twirled to look at all angles, appearing satisfied with the choice. “Tsumugi, I think this is the one!” Kaede’s Pokémon started cheering in their unique ways, nearly tumbling off the chair.

“Are you going to get some gloves to go with it?” Kirumi suggested. “Or will that get in the way of your playing?”

“I don’t think it should; I’ve never tried.” Kaede look down at her hands. “Dress gloves are usually skin-tight, right?”

“Shuuuichiii,” Tsumugi hummed, “your tuuuurn.” 

Before Shuichi could even summon the words to resist, Rantaro and Tsumugi each grabbed one of his arms and dragged him around the store to look at different suits on the mannequins. Just the dresses, it had never occurred to Shuichi how many different designs there were, and so many of them were subtle changes he could barely tell the difference between. Tsumugi was prattling on about different lapel styles and whether Shuichi would look better in a single- or double-breasted jacket. Rantaro was nodding along and offering a couple words of advice. Everything passed in a blur and Shuichi found himself shoved into a fitting room with a suit on a hanger. 

_Okay, might as well just get it over with_. Albeit reluctantly, he changed into the suit, stepping out of the fitting room while self-consciously smoothing the fabric on the pants and jacket. Tsumugi had thought ahead enough to grab him from the fitting rooms lest he try to make a run for it and dragged him back to their audience.

“Don’t you look handsome!” Kaede squealed happily. She had changed back into her regular clothes and had stolen Shuichi’s chair, since he was now the one trying on outfits.

“It suits you,” Kirumi complimented. “Very crisp, a good fitting.”

“Can you wear anything but black?” Maki complained. 

“That… would be interesting,” Rantaro admitted.

“But aren’t suits supposed to be drab colors?” said Shuichi. “The brightly-colored ones are usually worn for some gimmick, right?”

“Let’s try navy,” Tsumugi suggested, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him back to the fitting room.

This time, Tsumugi left him in the fitting room and got the suit herself, bringing it back over and handing it off for him to change into. Taking care the black suit was painstakingly placed back on the hanger, Shuichi changed into the navy-blue suit. Maybe Jun and Maki were right; he needed to try wearing other colors more often. He stepped out of the fitting room and was escorted back to his friends by Tsumugi.

“Very nice,” said Rantaro. “It’s still dark, but the day I see you in something bright will be the end of the world.”

Kaede stood up from her chair and grabbed Shuichi by the shoulders, pushing him in front of the mirrors. She walked around him, inspecting the suit, while Shuichi glanced at the others with a silent plea for help. Rantaro looked too entertained to help, Maki looked mildly interested in Kaede’s behavior, Tsumugi was standing off to the side, and Kirumi was scrutinizing the suit with an intensity even greater than Kaede’s. 

“I like it!” Kaede finally announced. “What ties do we have?”

“I was thinking something with gold stripes,” said Tsumugi, running off to hunt down a tie that fit what she had in mind.

*

“Okay,” Shuichi climbed onto his bed, sitting cross-legged with Lumine and Scout sitting across from him. “These are diagrams of your evolutionary paths.”

Shuichi held up one sheet of paper for them to look at. At the top of the paper was a picture of a Rockruff with three arrows pointing to three pictures beneath. Shuichi pointed to each picture and listed it off.

“Midnight Lycanroc, Dusk Lycanroc, and Midday Lycanroc. With enough training, Lumine, you’ll evolve into one of these. The Pokédex app says your evolution will be influenced by the power of the sun or moon, or both, in the case of Dusk form. Which looks the most appealing to you?” He laid the sheet of paper flat on the bedspread, allowing Lumine to look at each picture. The Rockruff approached the paper, sniffing at each picture. He suddenly let out a happy yip and started scratching at the picture of the Midnight Lycanroc, nearly ripping the paper.

“Midnight Lycanroc? Okay, if that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll work towards. I wonder if the full moon has a bigger effect than a half or crescent moon? Scout, here’s yours.” The second paper was a lot more crowded. The picture of the Eevee was in the center with the eight Eeveelutions surrounding it. Scout looked at each picture, inspecting with an intensity that surprised Shuichi. Scout briefly touched the pictures of the Umbreon and Espeon, obviously recognizing his parents, before purposefully looking away.

“None of them?” Shuichi mumbled, feeling slightly dejected. _I guess Rantaro was right; some Pokémon don’t want to evolve. But is Scout okay with being an Eevee his whole life?_ “That’s… okay. That’s perfectly fine. If that’s your decision, then I’ll support it. No evolutionary stones.”

*

“I can’t get pictures for you this time,” Shuichi told Aunt Ayame as Jiro knotted his blue-and-gold-striped tie for him. “Pretty sure I’ll get kicked out and the last thing I want to do is cause a scene.”

“This is Kaede’s night,” said Ayame. “Well, and the other artists performing, but she’s headlining.”

“I’m guessing we shouldn’t wait up?” said Jiro, finishing the knot.

Shuichi tucked his tie into his jacket and smoothed out his clothing. This would be his first event wearing the new suit. Since he was Kaede’s friend, he wanted to make a good impression. He had never been to a concert like this. Sure, Kaede had performed before, and he had attended, but those had been either private or at smaller venues. He was feeling the same anxiety he felt at Kirumi’s restaurant. No doubt there would be wealthy people who attended these kinds of functions all the time.

“I at least want a picture of all of you together,” said Aunt Ayame. “One of the rare moments you’re not wearing that hat of yours.”

“I can do that,” Shuichi promised, glancing at the clock. Kaede told him to get there early so they could hang out backstage. She would be feeling nervous about the performance and need to be calmed down.

Uncle Jiro offered to drive him, so Shuichi wouldn’t have to ride the train wearing his suit. Despite it not matching, Shuichi had emptied his bag and put his wallet, phone, ticket, and other belongings he felt okay taking, including his Pokéballs. Before the whole fiasco with the trafficking ring, Shuichi would have felt fine with leaving without his Pokémon, but now he could never be sure when a call was going to come in. There was also the risk of him becoming a target by the smugglers nagging at the back of his head.

“I want you to relax and enjoy yourself, Shuichi,” said Uncle Jiro. “You’ve been too focused on work lately. Just take a night and forget all of that.”

“Okay, Uncle.” Shuichi glanced nervously as they approached the Blue Arts Theatre. It was a new building for the city in the northern district. Tonight’s performances were meant to be the inauguration of the theatre. Uncle Jiro dropped Shuichi off in front of the theatre since the parking lot was already filled.

_No wonder Kaede said to get here early._

“I probably won’t see you when I get home,” said Shuichi. “It’ll be a late night.”

“No problem.”

The lobby was crowded with the exact people Shuichi pictured in his mind—the sort who frequented Kirumi’s restaurant on a regular basis. Based on how Kaede described, the other performers tonight were very prospective concert musicians. No doubt there would be some talent scouts among the crowd of rich folk. Shuichi was just another face in this crowd, shuffled about as he tried to dodge the mobs. He managed to make it to the wall and could finally look around to appreciate the design of the building. The lobby had two staircases that led up to the second story, designed as a mezzanine overlooking the rest of the lobby. There were doorways that led to the upper balcony within the auditorium. Between the two staircases was a large double-door that would lead into the arena of the ground-floor seats. Given the lobby was decorated with quite a few bronze and gold colors, Shuichi wondered why the building was called the “Blue Arts Theatre.” He didn’t know how long he stood there, looking around like he was lost, but he felt panicked as the minutes ticked away and he couldn’t find anyone he recognized. A light pressure suddenly settled on top of Shuichi’s head. A light tugging on his strand of hair revealed it was Cloud, Kaede’s Swablu, sitting on his head. 

“Where’s Kaede?” he asked, reaching up and gently patting the Swablu. He didn’t need to wonder long though. He spied Gonta in the crowd immediately, not because of Gonta himself, but because he had Angie sitting on his shoulder.

“Shuichi!” Angie called out to him. Gonta stepped carefully through the crowd, aware of his size and strength. Regardless, people were practically throwing themselves out of the way, afraid he would barrel through in an instant.

“Hi Gonta, Angie,” Shuichi greeted them.

“Kaede is looking for you,” Angie told him, sliding down Gonta’s shoulder. Her skirt rode up a little and Shuichi quickly looked away, afraid she was about to flash her underwear for everyone to see. 

“I didn’t know how to get backstage, and I didn’t know if they would let me through.”

“No one stopped us,” said Gonta. “We walked in.”

“No offense, Gonta, but I think you’re the last person anyone would try to stop,” Shuichi responded. Gonta frowned and fiddled with his fingers. “Can you take me to Kaede?”

“Forge the path, Gonta!” Angie cheered, pointing to the far side of the lobby. 

Gonta tread as carefully as if he were walking on ice, but people still scrambled to move. Under the mezzanine, in the far corner of the room, was a door with a sign indicating it led to the backstage. However, upon opening it, Shuichi was greeted with a long, wide hallway that looked like it ran the length of the building. Shuichi glanced at Gonta and Angie, neither of whom looked intimidated by this, and started walking. The end of the hall ended abruptly and turned into an open space. There were people milling about, but they were carrying instruments, makeup bags, and outfits back and forth.

“Shuichi!” Kaito waved at him from one of the many makeup tables lined up against the wall. 

Kaede was sitting in the chair in front of the mirror, Rantaro applying some blush to her cheeks. The rest of their friends, dressed in the nicest outfits Shuichi had ever seen them wear, were crowding around the table, trying their best to stay out of the way of the other musicians. At least, most of them were. Miu was actively harassing a celloist, trying to steal the instrument and play it like a guitar, while Keebo and Kirumi struggled to hold her back. 

“Okay… hand me the eyeliner,” said Rantaro, holding his open palm behind his back without even looking. Spooky rummaged through the makeup bag with her shadowy-claw and pulled out the eyeliner, giving it to Rantaro. Spooky herself was wearing a purple ribbon tied around one of the ears of her disguise. 

“How’s it been, sidekick?” Kaito asked, slinging an arm around Shuichi’s shoulders. Nebby flew into Shuichi’s face, waving his pom-poms.

“Things have been good… and quiet.”

“That’s good, right? Quiet’s good?”

“Usually, but given the events of the past few months, quiet’s become… a little foreboding.” He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Jiro told him to relax and not think about work. The movement disturbed Cloud, whom Shuichi forgot was up there, causing the Swablu to alight on the table space Kaede had claimed.

“Shuichi, I’m happy you could come!” Rantaro had finished Kaede’s makeup and she stood up from her chair, pulling Shuichi into a hug.

“Of course, I came, Kaede. This is a big night for you.”

“Well, a big night for all.” Kaede gestured to the other musicians. Before she could say anything else, a woman holding a clipboard stepped through an open door and down a short flight of stairs into the backstage area, loudly announcing it was almost time for the performances to begin. Realizing that was their cue to clear out, Kirumi finally pried Miu’s fingers off the cello and returned it to its owner. 

“Good luc— No! It’s ‘break a leg,’ right?” said Shuichi. 

“Thanks,” Kaede smiled back at him, causing a blush to creep up his neck. Shuichi spluttered and quickly walked to rejoin their friends, barely dodging a poor girl who rushed to nervously vomit into a convenient bucket.

The auditorium was filled with plush, red seats on a slant downward toward the stage. There was an orchestral pit, but, for tonight, it was empty. Since she was the headliner, Kaede had managed to snag tickets for some of the best seats in the house: center row, close to the stage but not immediately in front of it. Shuichi collapsed in his seat, looking upward as the auditorium steadily filled with guests. Now he was able to see why the theatre had been named “Blue Arts.” The vaulted ceiling was adorned with a mosaic mural of swirls of blues, greens, and purples. The mosaic trickled a little down the walls, the design almost resembling rivulets of water.

“Mosaic,” he whispered softly. No one heard him due to the noises of moving and speaking people. Music soothes the savage beast. Maybe Mosaic would like music? He hadn’t tried playing music for him. He wondered if Kaede would like Mosaic, but given she adopted Spooky without a second thought, he figured he had nothing to worry about. 

Shuichi didn’t admit it, but he was preoccupied with his thoughts through most of the performances. Maybe that was a testament to the soothing effects of the music. His thoughts weren’t even focused on anything, just random imageries. His consciousness surfaced once when Miu commented the celloist she had been harassing “wasn’t playing it right,” but she was abruptly hushed. Despite the dim lights, Shuichi looked up at the mosaic and imagined the swirls of colors curling and twisting to the gentle tune of the music.

“Kaede!” Tenko squealed quietly as their friend strode confidently across the stage and settled into her piano bench. Or, at least, she looked confident, but Shuichi could see the slight tremor in her hands.

 _Is… is that Alba?_ Shuichi narrowed his eyes, trying to focus on the whiteish form sitting right behind the easel holding Kaede’s sheet music. It turns out he was right when a ribbon-like feeler turned Kaede’s sheet music for her. Shuichi wasn’t very familiar with classical music, so the names of the melodies Kaede played flew right over his head. All except one.

The only reason he knew it was because it was Kaede’s favorite. In the depths of his memory, he recalled his first day of high school, walking into his homeroom class with his hat nearly pulled completely over his face. Because of that hat, he walked right into Kaede and dropped his textbooks. He had frozen up, the embarrassment already gripping him. But Kaede had kneeled and collected his books for him, handing them back and peeking at his pink face from under the brim of his hat. Things were a bit of a blur after that. She had grabbed his hand, led him to the desk next to hers, and started breaking the ice with various topics. She had been a pianist for most of her life, and when he expressed some interest, she excitedly discussed her favorite scores.

The melody she was playing was _Clair de Lune._

Kaede had played it on her phone for him once, but that was nothing in comparison to what he was hearing. She played it beautifully, like it was a melody from heaven. All thought was wiped from his mind and all that was left was music. She had promised to play _Clair de Lune_ for him in person. And it was perfect.

The performance was over too quickly. Shuichi’s consciousness resurfaced once again to thunderous applause. His friends were standing and clapping, so he hastily jumped to his feet and joined them in the applause. Kaede had risen from her bench, joined by Alba, and was bowing to the audience, giving everyone a wave farewell as she exited the stage. The lights in the auditorium brightened, signaling the night’s performances were over. People began to shuffle out from their rows.

“Let’s go meet her in the lobby!” Angie urged, pushing against Kiyo to get the line moving. 

If the lobby had been crowded when Shuichi arrived, it was mobbed now. People were crowding around the performers, giving their congratulations and compliments. Kaede had the biggest crowd by far, but Gonta’s size and Tenko’s persistence forced the crowd to part and let her friends through.

“That was incredible!” said Kaito, Nebby squeaking his little bell-chime noises. “Good thing Nebby stayed put this time. Oh right.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly squished Poké Puff in plastic wrap. He unwrapped it and gave it Nebby, who squealed with joy. 

“Bribery,” Kaito explained, balling the plastic wrap up and putting it back in his pocket.

“Kaede,” Shuichi managed to cut in, “you play beautifully.”

“Shuichi,” Kaede grinned, “you’ve heard me play.”

“But nothing like that! Jun was right; when musicians perform, they’re at their pinnacle.”

“Didn’t know Jun could be so poetic,” said Maki, checking the time on her phone.

Recalling his aunt’s wishes, Shuichi pulled out his own phone and got the attention of his friends. “Everyone huddle together; my aunt wants a picture.” With minimal griping, he managed to snap a suitable picture. It wasn’t perfect, but enough to satisfy his aunt.

They broke apart and started conversing again, but Shuichi didn’t join in right away. If Kaede’s music could clear his anxious mind, then what else could it do? Keebo knew about Mosaic, maybe it was time some of the others knew as well.

“Kaede,” Shuichi approached her, keeping his voice low so the others wouldn’t hear. “I have something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Well, not really _tell_ , more like… _show_.”

*

“What is this place?” Kaede looked around uncertainly. Rantaro had graciously driven Kaede and Shuichi to their destination. Shuichi figured that if Kaede was going to know, then Rantaro knowing as well wouldn’t hurt. It’s not like either of them would tell.

“Do you promise not to freak out?” Shuichi asked.

“If you have to ask, then do I really want to know?” Kaede retorted bluntly.

“This is the Kuzuryu Compound.”

Rantaro immediately froze up and started choking on his own breath. Kaede apparently didn’t notice, still wandering around the courtyard, her purple dress swishing as she walked. Shuichi found himself harshly yanked backward, Rantaro firmly gripping his wrist.

“Are you insane!?” Rantaro hissed. “Why did you bring us to the headquarters of a yakuza clan!?”

“It’s okay!” Shuichi insisted. “They’re not dangerous— at least, not to us. I can’t speak for anyone else, but, as far as I know, they’re not really into killing people.” Shuichi pulled his wrist from Rantaro’s grip and purposefully walked to the warehouse. “This way.”

After having been here many times, Shuichi knew where the hiding places in the warehouse were— at least, most of them. Rantaro and Kaede didn’t notice, but he immediately spied glittery red eyes peering at them from the darkness. He gave a very subtle hand signal to indicate everything was okay, and the eyes pulled back further into the darkness. 

“Why is there a vent on this door?” Kaede asked, gently tapping the door to Mosaic’s room.

“Both of you need to step back,” Shuichi ordered. “It’s _extremely_ important you obey everything I tell you to do.” Both gave him grave expression but nodded. 

After peering through the vent to see where Mosaic was, he cracked open the door, slipped through, and had his friends follow close behind. He flipped the lights on to brighten the room, Kaede letting out a coo once she was able to see the murals and grassy patch, but that sound of contentment quickly turned to a shout of horror. Mosaic had reared his head from the grass to see who was visiting, his sudden appearance spooking Kaede. Shuichi was suddenly yanked back again, Rantaro protectively shielding him and Kaede with his own body. Mosaic apparently didn’t like that and started stalking forward.

“Mosaic, stop!” Shuichi commanded. The Type: Null froze and raised his head.

“Shuichi,” Kaede gripped Shuichi’s jacket tightly, obviously frightened, “what is that thing?”

“I rescued him from the traffickers. I found him chained in an underground cell. He’s still wary of other people, but he’s getting better.”

“But what _is_ he?” Rantaro asked.

“Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu said he’s a Type: Null, an artificial Pokémon.”

“Does your uncle know about him?” Rantaro lowered his arms, but his body was still tense.

“No, I was worried he’d get taken away. He doesn’t deserve it.”

Kaede came out from behind Rantaro and took a step forward. Mosaic’s fur bristled slightly, but Kaede kneeled on the floor and held her hand out. After a few moments, Mosaic hesitantly stepped forward but not close enough for her to pet him. Shuichi joined Kaede on the floor, Rantaro standing behind them.

“You’re not so bad,” Kaede crooned. “Do you like music?”

“I was wondering that myself. I haven’t tried playing any for him,” said Shuichi. He held out his hand and Mosaic purposefully side-stepped to approach him while avoiding Kaede. “Don’t be offended,” Shuichi told Kaede.

“I’m not offended,” she assured him. “It’s only natural he’d be wary. It’s a good sign that he trusts you so much.”

“I’ve never seen anything like him,” Rantaro marveled. “He looks like a chimera. Why the helmet?”

“It was on him when I rescued him. I asked Keebo if he could remove it, but we’re not sure yet,” Shuichi explained.

“Keebo knows?” said Kaede. “Anyone else?”

“No.” 

Mosaic glared at both Kaede and Rantaro, his head held low to the ground, but at least he wasn’t growling. Kaede reached out toward him, Mosaic snapping his head in her direction. She paused but continued reaching, although slower. She gently brushed her fingers against his crest. Mosaic’s talons tightened into the concrete floor, as if he were fighting the desire to run or strike out, but then relaxed. He kept his head low and flicked his eyes up to briefly connect with Kaede’s. He rumbled deeply, but it didn’t sound like a growl. 

“Good, Mosaic,” Shuichi praised. “When you get out of here, they’ll be your friends. And so will their Pokémon. We’ll see them all the time and you won’t have to be locked up anywhere anymore.”

“Yeah,” Kaede joined in, “and I’ll play for you in-person someday.”

*

When Shuichi would look back on the fateful night, it had almost seemed to last forever. The concert and Kaede and Rantaro getting to meet Mosaic were memorable, and he would never forget those moments, but what followed soon after he got home would traumatize him for a very long time. It was nearing midnight when Rantaro dropped him off at his aunt and uncle’s home. Uncle Jiro and Aunt Ayame were already in bed, so he used his phone to light the way upstairs. He released Lumine and Scout from their Pokéballs and changed into his pajamas but didn’t go to bed right away. He sat on top of his bedspread and looked at the picture he had taken of his friends in their Sunday best. When he enlarged the picture, he was able to see everyone had smiled in some way (although it was difficult to tell with Kiyo). He couldn’t help but smile again, plugging his phone in to charge and lifting his blankets to slip under. He was reaching to turn off his lamp when his phone suddenly lit up and vibrated.

 _Who could be calling me at this hour?_ his tired mind wondered.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Whatever that thing is you’ve got hiding in the city, go protect it!” someone shrieked into his ear.

“Ah! Don’t shout— Phantom!?”

“Three ships just docked. No one’s loading Pokémon into them and a group of people left and went into the city!”

“When did this group go into the city?”

“About ten minutes ago.”

“You’re telling me this now!?” Shuichi shouted, not bothering to be quiet for the sake of his sleeping aunt and uncle.

“I just got here! My subordinates are the ones who saw them leave and they didn’t know how to contact you!”

“Did these people mention specifically where they were going or what they were doing?” By this point, Shuichi had leapt out of bed and was throwing a jacket on over his pajamas.

“They said they were going to retrieve some ‘special cases.’ I guess they’re some sort of professionals. They didn’t interact with the others like they were acquainted before.”

 _‘Cases?’ Plural? What else could they be after other than Mosaic?_ Even if his conscious mind wasn’t aware, he knew what it was. Especially since he could almost hear the bell-chime cry in the back of his mind. _Nebby. Nebby was never claimed, we’ve never seen anything like him, we don’t even know his species name. They’re coming for Mosaic and Nebby._

“Phantom, stall those boats. In any way you can. I don’t care what you do— hurt them, knock them unconscious, whatever— just keep those boats from leaving!”

Shuichi hurriedly threw some shoes on and grabbed his hat on instinct. Lumine and Scout were nearly bouncing with agitation before he returned them to their Pokéballs, slipping his bag over his shoulder. He burst out of his room, nearly tumbling the staircase in his haste to make it out the door. His racket awoke his aunt and uncle, and Jiro tried to call out to him, but Shuichi was already in the street by that point. He had never run so fast in his whole life. Normally, he would take a train to get to the Kuzuryu Compound, even though it wasn’t too far away, but not tonight. He ran the entire way, his lungs burning and legs aching, and arrived just in time to be stabbed in the heart.

A box truck burst from the driveway, driving past the bent and twisted iron gate. The truck spun out facing away from him, the back shutter half-open. Shuichi could only gape in horror at the sight within. Two men were pressing Mosaic down to the floor, his entire body bound in chains and what might have been a thick tarp to keep him from mauling them. Mosaic snarled and screeched, struggling to free himself.

“Mosaic!” Shuichi screamed, finally finding his voice. 

Mosaic spotted him standing in the middle of the street and roared loudly, struggling twice as much to escape. The two men saw Shuichi as well, one of them taking his hand off Mosaic to pick up what was clearly a handgun. Shuichi froze, trembling in terror as the weapon was pointed at him. Mosaic violently threw his head back, bumping the man’s arm and causing him to unload the gun into the roof of the truck’s cargo hold. Something bellowed and charged from the direction of the driveway, crashing into the truck so hard it was almost knocked on its side. The truck’s wheels squealed loudly, the shuddering and movement causing the shutter to slam shut as the truck sped off. 

“Shuichi!?” Fuyuhiko slid to a halt after nearly sprinting out from the courtyard. “What are you doing here?”

Closer inspection revealed the mass that had attacked the truck was Izuru’s shiny Haxorus, and it wasn’t looking good. Haxorus was wheezing roughly and crumpled onto the road. Peko appeared from the driveway, supporting Izuru, who was profusely bleeding from his leg. Shuichi stared at the bloody wound, trembling slightly.

“Shuichi!” Fuyuhiko slapped him across the face. “Do you have any idea where they’re going? We need to get Mosaic back!”

“Th-the docks. They’re… going to the d-docks,” Shuichi managed to stammer out. 

He flinched when a car barely missed him and Fuyuhiko, parking haphazardly on the sidewalk. Hajime jumped out and rushed to Izuru, kneeling to look at his leg. Nagito also jumped out but was staring at the broken gate and the burnout marks in the street.

“Nagito, call Mikan so she can tend to Izuru’s leg. Peko, go get the car from the warehouse. Hajime, grab some guns,” Fuyuhiko immediately took charge of the situation.

“G-guns!?” Shuichi gasped. This was the last kind of circumstance he wanted to wind up in. 

“I think the situation warrants them.” 

Everyone rushed to follow his orders, Izuru settling himself on the sidewalk, tying a tourniquet around his leg using some rope from Hajime and Nagito’s trunk. Peko drove a sleek, black car out from the courtyard, Hajime jumping out of the passenger’s seat with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Shuichi had never experienced a deeper desire to _not_ get into a car, but Fuyuhiko pushed him toward the open back door. Nagito and Hajime climbed into the backseat, gesturing for Shuichi to join, while Fuyuhiko took the passenger seat. Shuichi could only tremor in fear as he watched multiple guns exchange hands as they were inspected and loaded.

“Is Izuru going to be okay?” he asked as the car took off speeding through the city.

“He’ll be fine,” Hajime replied, loading a bullet into the chamber of his handgun. “He’s been through worse. So, are these guys the traffickers?”

“Or associated with them,” said Shuichi.

“Can you shoot?” Fuyuhiko asked, turning in the passenger seat and holding one of the guns out. In this close environment, Shuichi was able to see Fuyuhiko was missing his eye patch, revealing a large scar running over his right eyelid. Since the eyelid was shut, he guessed there wasn't an eye underneath.

“N-n-no!” Shuichi recoiled away from the weapon. Over the squealing of the tires, Shuichi somehow picked up the hum of his phone. He pulled it out of his bag, not even bothering to check the caller ID. “Hello?”

“Shuichi!”

“Kaito!? What’s wrong!?”

“Some guys stole Nebby!” He sounded out of breath and the noise of wind rushing by the transmitter implied he was running.

“What!?”

“I was trying to fall asleep and I heard some noises downstairs. Some guys had broken it. I tried to fight ‘em but there were too many. They grabbed Nebby and put him in a case like the one we rescued him from! I think it keeps him from teleporting. They sped off in a car before I could stop them.”

“Go to the docks!” Shuichi found himself saying automatically. “There are boats taking Pokémon to Alola. Go to the docks!” He wasn’t sure if he hung up, Kaito hung up, or the call disconnected, but once he relayed those orders, he threw his phone back into his bag.

Adrenaline was coursing through his body and Shuichi started getting tunnel vision. He gripped the edge of the cushioned seat he was sitting on, digging his nails into the leather. He couldn’t believe how the others were staying calm, but he guessed they were used to these sorts of situations. Even still, how could one get used to being shot at? Because that had obviously been a gunshot wound in Izuru’s leg. Peko suddenly slammed on the brakes, nearly throwing Shuichi forward. Fuyuhiko was probably relaying orders to his clan members in the car, but Shuichi didn’t bother hearing them. He scrambled out of the car and started sprinting toward the docks, Hajime’s voice echoing behind him. Shuichi stumbled upon pandemonium.

It was almost like the first dock raid: Pokémon swooping down on people running around and swinging pipes and bats. Only this time, DICE wasn’t on top of the storage containers. A body stumbled past Shuichi, clutching their bleeding head. The DICE member with red afro punched one of the traffickers so hard in the face a spray of blood scattered across the pavement. The trafficker collapsed, and the DICE member bent to check his pulse, only to be tackled by another trafficker. The Serperior, Arbok, and Seviper were all using Wrap to incapacitate some of the fighters. The Golbat dived and pushed people into the water. There were screams of shock and pain all around him, freezing him in place amidst the chaos around him. Someone suddenly shouted, and he was tackled to the ground. Shuichi started kicking and punching frantically.

“Shuichi! It’s me!” Kaito grabbed his wrists to stop him from being pummeled. 

“Kaito!?” If Kaito was here, it could only mean Nebby was probably already on one of the boats. 

Now Shuichi took a moment to consider the boats at the dock. There were three and they were all larger than the ones of the past. These kinds had the sort of ramp that descended from the side of the boat itself, rather than the top deck. He guessed the ramps led directly to the cargo hold below deck. Shuichi stood up and started running for the boats without a second thought. He was knocked aside by someone’s flailing arm, slamming into the pavement and knocking his hat off. He sprawled on his back, looking up in horror as a rusty metal pipe came swinging down, aiming for his head. A white blur bowled the trafficker over, the pipe flying from their grip and narrowly missing Shuichi’s head as it clanged to the ground. Silver the Absol snarled a challenge, partially standing over Shuichi to protect him. The person Silver had tackled stood up, his face scraped and bleeding.

“I recognize you!” Shuichi yelled. It was the man from Himiko’s magic show! The one who had been looking at the poster and Lumine bumped into. The man smirked at Shuichi, glancing down at Shuichi’s bag and taking a step forward.

A gunshot pierced the air, bringing the clamor to a tense silence. Fuyuhiko stood in the center of the crowd, his gun raised toward the sky. Both traffickers and DICE members backed away from him, only to find Nagito, Hajime, and Peko standing around the perimeter, equipped with their own firearms. Shuichi struggled to his feet, a trembling hand gripping Silver’s ruff. Some of the DICE members looked to him, trying to figure out if these newcomers were allies or enemies.

“Let’s be smart about this,” Phantom had appeared from the swarm of people and Pokémon. He hesitantly stepped toward Fuyuhiko, his hands held out in front of him, but then stopped and appeared to be staring at something behind the yakuza boss.

“Look out!” someone shouted. Fuyuhiko looked down as his own shadow grew longer across the brightening pavement from a light source behind him, diving out of the way as the box truck barreled through, someone screaming in agony as they were hit. The truck rumbled up the ramp of the center boat. Everyone was suddenly scrambling into action again. The traffickers swarmed up the ramps, some of them ending up pushed out of the way in their colleagues’ attempts to escape.

“Shuichi! Look!” Kaito grabbed Shuichi by the shoulders and pointed at the top deck of the same boat the box truck had driven into. A figure was staring down at them, their hand tightly gripping the handle of a case just like the one Kaito’s Lunatone and Solrock had cracked open to rescue Nebby. The ramp of the center boat groaned as it retracted into the ship.

Even over the noises of the ship, the ramp, and even the rattle of the truck’s engine from within the cargo hold, Shuichi heard Mosaic bellow one last time. Nothing registered to him anymore. It was almost like the world was ending in slow-motion and all he could do was watch. 

_No... I refuse to let this happen._

The ship on the left retracted its ramp as the center ship left the docks, already too far for him to reach. With only one option left, Shuichi sprinted to the last boat, people reaching out to grab him but not being able to get a good grip. Several voices shouted behind him, but the blood roaring in his ears drowned them out. He thundered up the ramp, feet pounding against the metal and reverberating through his entire body. Despite his focus muffling everything around him, he still heard two other sets of footsteps following him up the ramp.

The ramp rumbled as it retracted like a drawbridge, plunging the cargo hold in darkness.

**End of Part 1**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of Part 1. Next stop is Alola.


	9. We're Going to Alola!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two of the ships are intercepted by the Aether Foundation, but Nebby and Mosaic are nowhere to be seen. Shuichi and Kaito vow they won’t leave the islands until they find their Pokémon, reuniting with their friends to begin an adventure in Alola.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 9: We’re Going to Alola! 

According to Shuichi’s phone, almost two days had passed in complete darkness. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was what the world would be like if there were no light. The ship groaned and creaked as it bobbed over waves that gently swashed against its sides. He could proudly say he’d only been sick once after being subjected to the endless rocking. After he had gotten used to it, it was almost soothing being rocked back and forth. That, in addition to the soft pile of Pokémon curling up with him, made sleeping at night easy. Or… whenever he was tired since only his phone could tell them when it was nighttime. The first thing they had done was release all the Pokémon from their cages. There was no escaping the cargo hold since the only door they could find was locked shut from the other side. At least there was a pipe system rigged up to deliver water to each cage. They had to suck it from a spout, but it was water all the same. Food was a little more difficult— it was either eat dry Pokémon food or starve. They were desperate enough to try it several times.

“Y’know,” Shuichi focused his eyes on the smaller of the two human-shaped figures sitting in the cargo hold with him, “if I wanted to be locked in a dark, dank, stinking cell, I would have gotten arrested!”

“Calm down,” Kaito growled. “You complaining isn’t gonna make this any easier or time go any faster.”

“I reserve the right to complain! Mister Detective, I thought you were supposed to have a cool head! What the hell are you doing running headfirst into a ship full people who want to kill you!?”

“Hey!” Kaito snapped. “You will not speak to him like that!”

“I’ll speak however I want ‘cause this whole stupid mess is his fault!”

“You didn’t have to follow me,” Shuichi mumbled. That somehow had the power to shut Phantom up, the smaller boy grumbling quietly to himself.

When he remembered hearing the two sets of footsteps follow him into the ship, Kaito had been an easy guess, but he hadn’t expected Phantom. Maybe Hajime or even Fuyuhiko— in a possible moment of adrenaline-fueled spontaneity— but not the boy he barely knew, had only met enough times to count on one hand, and had blatantly told him he didn’t trust him. Nevertheless, he was stuck in a cargo hold with Kaito, Phantom, and dozens of Pokémon freed from their cages. The three of them had released their own Pokémon from their Pokéballs. Shuichi was surprised to discover Phantom still had another Pokémon he hadn’t revealed in their previous encounters: a Nidoking. Kaito’s Psychic-types had attempted to try an unsuccessful version of Teleport to escape. Technically, Elgyem could be bred to learn Teleport, but Nova wasn’t of that pedigree. 

They were sitting in a circle, surrounded by Alolan Pokémon. A very helpful Alolan Marowak had lit its Thick Club and laid it on the floor for light. Shuichi was thankful he didn’t have to use his phone as a flashlight, especially considering it had barely been able to charge before he ran for the Kuzuryu Compound. He kept it turned off most of the time to save power. Besides, it was wasn’t like he was getting cell service in the middle of the ocean. Once they got closer to the islands, he was hoping he could call his uncle or contact Alolan law enforcement before the traffickers unloaded the boat. He wasn’t too afraid though. The last thing the traffickers were probably expecting was an entire cargo hold full of loose Pokémon who were undoubtedly angry at them and would most likely pounce the first chance they got. Phantom’s Nidoking was intimidating on a whole other level, and if Silver Mega-evolved, then they might have a fighting chance.

Phantom heaved a sigh, leaning back to rest his head on Silver’s stomach. The boy had shed his mask and hat and had been using his cloak as a blanket. Kaito somehow slept with his Pokémon huddled around him, despite the rocky bodies of three of them. Shuichi had gotten lucky and befriended an Alolan Ninetales, who graciously offered her tail as a pillow. All in all, things could be worse. Hours passed in darkness, but not in discomfort. Well… a little discomfort, since Kaito and Phantom didn’t take to each other and their arguments often echoed loudly around the cargo hold. But, for the moment, things were calm between them.

It was somewhat of a gradual shift, but once Shuichi nearly went somersaulting backward, it became too noticeable to ignore. Some of the Pokémon went sliding as the entire ship tilted, hopelessly digging their nails and talons into the floor to keep themselves from hitting the wall. Kaito began shouting in fear that the entire ship was about to go sideways. It certainly felt that way, but the tilting stopped after a certain degree before slowly re-righting itself.

“What was that?” Shuichi wondered aloud.

“That was a turn,” said Phantom, hesitantly standing up after the floor was no longer at a dangerous angle. “A very sharp one too.”

“Why would they turn so suddenly?” said Kaito. “Isn’t that dangerous to do for a boat this size?”

“Maybe there was some debris?” Shuichi guessed. The ship began tilting the other way, signaling they were turning the other direction.

“Are you all drunk!?” Phantom shouted at the ceiling. “Learn to drive!”

The ship groaned in protest as it attempted to turn again while already going the opposite direction. It almost felt like it slid sideways through the water before the resistance was too much and the ship lost its momentum. There was a deafening clang in the direction of the ship’s stern, almost as if something had struck the ship and bounced off. The engines roared as the ship struggled to move forward again but was somehow met with resistance. The racket died out, the engines sputtering pathetically. In the new silence, Shuichi realized he had been hyperventilating. The Alolan Ninetales gave his cheek a lick, startling him from his stupor. Kaito picked up the flaming Thick Club like a torch and held it up to brighten as much as possible. None of them could see any punctures in the hull from whatever had hit the ship.

 _Lunala?_ Shuichi couldn’t help but wonder. _Have you come to stop this ship too?_

The ship started moving again, this time at a gentle pace without the rumbling of the engines. Phantom raced to the door but found it was still locked from outside. He gave the door a futile kick in frustration.

“Are we… being towed?” said Kaito.

“Like, with a tugboat?” Shuichi added.

“Maybe? I’m not a sailor.”

Somehow, the calm rhythmic movement was even worse after the brief period of excitement. Shuichi couldn’t help the feeling of apprehension building in the pit of his stomach. Lumine and Scout picked up on his unease and started bristling their fur. 

“Turn your phone on!” Phantom insisted. “We might be close to land!”

Shuichi scrambled for his bag and pulled his phone out, hitting the power button, but ended up dropping it when the ship shuddered, bounced off something, then came to a halt. Everyone froze, staring anxiously at the ramp-door to the cargo hold. There were some deep clanging sounds and then a muffled boom. A shriek of metal scraping metal made several of them shout in pain and cover their ears as best they could (given some of them had paws and wings). A sliver of light beamed from the top of the ramp-door.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at our destination,” said Phantom.

“Great!” Kaito grinned, popping his knuckles. “Let’s knock a few heads and then hijack the boat.” Luna and Sol flanked him as he purposefully strode to the ramp-door, waiting for it descend enough to exit the cargo hold. Several of the captive Pokémon appeared to take his lead and join him, their muscles visibly tensing in preparation for taking down the people who abducted them.

 _There’s that natural charisma again_ , Shuichi noted, grabbing his bag and walking over to stand by Kaito. 

The small amount of light was almost blinding after being surrounded by darkness for days. A thudding noise came up behind them, revealing itself to be Phantom’s Nidoking, with Phantom balancing on the toxic spines of his back. The ramp-door squealed again and opened further. A Toucannon took a chance and flew through the opening. There was a clamor of voices outside, obviously shocked from the sudden appearance of the loose Pokémon. The ramp-door squealed one last time before it started opening smoothly and without delay. 

“Raja, charge!” Phantom shouted gleefully, his Nidoking barreling forward just as the ramp touched down outside. Shuichi and Kaito gaped in shock as Phantom clung to Raja’s spines and rode the Nidoking down the ramp.

“Uh—um, c’mon everyone!” Kaito shouted, leading the charge out of the ship. 

The blood roared in Shuichi’s ears, drowning out the commotion of all the Pokémon rushing past him and down the ramp. His legs moved on their own and he found himself following the motion of the crowd. He couldn’t tell where they were, only that is was overwhelmingly bright. There were people running around, trying in vain to catch the loose Pokémon. It didn’t register to Shuichi at the time, but the Pokémon had realized the people were not the ones who abducted them and were calming down. Shuichi stopped running, his head starting to spin.

“Oh my goodness!” someone approached him, gently touching his arm. “Are you okay? Were the three of you locked in there with the Pokémon?”

“I… who are…” Shuichi mumbled before the brightness overtook his vision, then turned dark.

*

Shuichi’s eyes cracked open, the effort alone being phenomenal. With a long groan, he struggled to sit up and realized he was in a bed. He picked at the blanket, then his hand wandered up to his shirt when he didn’t recognize the clothes he was wearing. He tugged at the low-hanging collar of his new shirt—scratch that, he was wearing a hospital gown. The walls were white, but the lights had been dimmed and the window curtains drawn so it wasn’t as blinding as when he emerged from the cargo hold. He had a nightstand, but, thankfully, no machines to monitor his vitals. That indicated he wasn’t in bad condition.

 _Where am I?_ he wondered. _There’s no way we’re with the traffickers. They would have just shot me, not take me to the hospital._

His messenger bag was leaning against the nightstand, his cell phone sitting on top of the nightstand itself. Shuichi pushed his blanket down and swung his legs to the edge of bed, grunting from exertion to stand up. He wavered from head-rush for a moment before stumbling over to the window, pulling aside the curtains. Since there was a good chance they were in Alola, he had expected to see some greenery of the tropical islands. The last thing he expected was the flat, shimmering surface of the ocean stretching for miles, no sign of land in sight.

“Am I on a boat?” he said out loud. But he didn’t feel the rocking or motion of any kind. 

The sound of the door clicking alerted him he was no longer alone. He would have spun around—all dramatically—but he was still sluggish. Instead, he sort of leaned into the window to support his weight and rolled his shoulder until his back was against the window. His visitor was a cheerful-looking woman with long orange hair pulled back into a ponytail and was wearing a standard lab coat. She looked surprised to see him out of bed, then practically beamed with enthusiasm.

“Oh good, you’re up!” she grinned. “How do you feel?”

“Tired,” he rasped, wary of who this woman was.

“That’s understandable. I can’t imagine spending two days in a cargo hold was all that comfortable. You also didn’t do yourself any favors trying to sprint out of there.”

“Um… who are you? And where am I?”

“I’m Chisa Yukizome!” she replied cheerfully. “And you are currently resting in the medical wing of Aether Paradise!”

“Aether Paradise?” He recalled the name somewhere in his memory before remembering both Angie and Rantaro had mentioned the Aether Foundation months ago. Aether Paradise was the foundation’s headquarters, an artificial island located in the waters around the Alolan Islands. That would explain why all he saw was water when he looked out the window.

“Are you feeling okay, sweetie?” Chisa suddenly pressed a hand to his forehead. “You’ve got this sort of blank-stare situation going on.”

“Oh! Um, I’m okay,” Shuichi blinked a couple times in surprise. “My friends had mentioned your foundation; I was just recalling the conversation— wait! You intercepted the boats, didn’t you?”

“Not ‘me,’ personally. More like the royal ‘we’ and yes we did.”

“Where are my friends?”

“Neither of the boys passed out like you did, but we made them come here anyway to get checked out. Apparently, the three of you survived on Pokémon food?”

“I know Kaito did, but if he’s hungry, he doesn’t care much about taste. Phantom and I sampled some but didn’t find it all that appealing.”

“Phantom?” Chisa gave him a confused look.

“The shorter one.”

“He said his name was Haru.”

“Heads up, but that is undoubtedly a lie.”

Their conversation was halted by Lumine and Scout rushing through the open door and joyfully crowding their trainer. Chisa looked overjoyed to see the duo, while Shuichi crouched to try and gather his Pokémon into his arms. Their enthusiasm overwhelmed him though, and he lost his balance, falling backward onto the floor. 

“Shuichi!” Kaito appeared in the doorway. He wasn’t wearing a hospital gown, but rather a spare set of hospital scrubs and a large tag pinned to the front that said “patient.” The tag was mostly likely a sign to medics and other possible patients that he wasn’t a doctor. 

“Hey sidekick, how do you feel?” Kaito extended a hand to Shuichi and helped pull him back to his feet. “You had us worried.”

“Speak for yourself!” Phantom slid across the smooth floor in his socks and into the room. He was also wearing scrubs, although the sleeves and legs were rolled up, and a hospital gown tied around his shoulders like his cape. Which begged the question: where was his cape?

“I’m okay,” Shuichi replied. “I think it was just the stress. How long was I out for?”

“The ships were intercepted at three AM,” said Chisa. “It is currently…” she glanced at her wristwatch, “eight in the morning. So, you’ve been sleeping for about five hours.”

“Come to the cafeteria!” Phantom grabbed Shuichi’s hand and pulled him toward the door. “They have chocolate milk!”

“It’s probably best you get some food,” Chisa suggested. “I’ll show you the way to the cafeteria. Aether Paradise is a bit of a maze.”

“We found our way back just fine,” said Kaito.

“Yeah,” Phantom added, “not taking into account the hour we spent ‘sightseeing.’ At least, that’s what we’re calling it.”

Kaito growled at the smaller boy, who took off down the hall on his own. Shuichi made the wiser choice of staying with Chisa, but hesitated in exiting the room, self-consciously checking to see the back of his hospital hung open, exposing his boxers to the world. Chisa giggled and wordlessly offered a robe for him to wear over the gown so he could walk around without any shame. The hallway was a blinding-white with the slightest hints of blue. It was almost like looking out over a snow-covered field on a sunny day. Shuichi didn’t know how the employees dealt with it.

“Here,” Chisa suddenly handed him a pair of sunglasses. “These should help. I saw you were squinting,” she explained when he gave her a confused look. “After a while, your eyes adjust.”

“So, Miss Yukizome, what do you do for the Aether Foundation?” Shuichi asked, trying to make conversation.

“I’m the branch chief of research.”

“What kind of research?”

“It varies depending on where Madame President wishes for me to focus my expertise, but, lately, she’s been giving me more free-reign, so I’ve been researching regional variants.”

“There was an Alolan Marowak and Alolan Ninetales in the cargo hold with us,” Kaito offered.

“Yeah, about that,” said Chisa. “Once you two grab some breakfast, come sit with me. I need to discuss a few things about the circumstances of your arrival in Alola.”

The hall suddenly opened into a very large room with expansive, bay windows on one side that let in light and offered a spectacular view of the water— and the Alolan islands in the distance. There were several long tables in center of the eating area and some smaller, private tables around the edges. On one end of the cafeteria was the kitchen and the long countertops where cooks were placing the foods for the workers to take as much as they pleased. Shuichi was suddenly aware of how hungry he was. Chisa urged them to get in line while she claimed one of the smaller tables near the windows. 

Shuichi grabbed a tray, plate, and eating utensils. He recognized several of the offered foods, but some were foreign to him. Thankfully, there were placards with the names and ingredients placed in front of each platter and pot. He saw rice balls and quickly grabbed some. He was willing to sample some of the more exotic foods but wanted to make sure he had food he was comfortable eating. There was a pot of some paste-like substance that many of the workers were ladling into bowls with enthusiasm. Shuichi scooped a small amount into a bowl— it was obviously a favorite around here. Kaito was being much more adventurous in his sampling and almost seemed to be taking things at random. Shuichi poured some coffee from the several pots sitting on the far counter and scampered across the cafeteria to join Chisa at the table she had claimed. Phantom had his own tray filled and was tucking into something that looked like fried dough while Chisa admonished him for stuffing himself with sugar for breakfast, to which Phantom replied the dough shouldn't have been an option if she didn't think it was breakfast food. Shuichi took the time to look around, realizing Pokémon were sitting at and around the tables with the human workers. Lumine and Scout were sitting at his feet under the table, as was Jester, but since they were well-fed, they weren’t as desperate for food.

“What is this?” Shuichi asked, pointing to the purple-ish paste. 

“That’s poi,” Chisa replied. “It’s made from mashing the corm of the taro vegetable. If it’s fresh, it’ll taste sweet, but if it’s left to ferment, it’ll taste sour. That should be fresh.”

“Is everything fresh?” Kaito asked, setting his tray down on the table.

“Pretty much. Most of the fruits and vegetables are grown on the islands except for a choice few that don’t take too well to the tropical climate. We do have some greenhouses inside Paradise, but not a big enough operation to be independent from the islands. Now,” she folded her hands in front of her, suddenly looking very official, “under Madame President’s orders and in the best interest of the Aether Foundation, I must ask why we found the three of you in the cargo hold.”

“First, can I ask you something?” Shuichi inquired, removing the sunglasses.

Chisa smiled, glancing around. “You can ask me anything and I’ll answer to the best of my ability. I just need the answers to my questions before this conversation is over.”

“How long have you been intercepting the ships?”

Chisa suddenly looked tired and sighed heavily. “It’s been a long time. I think we started noticing them at the beginning of the year, but they were always out of our range. Since we’re an independent establishment, separate from the Alolan Islands, we can’t govern the routes of ships unless they impede in our zone. So, we watched them for a while, unable to do anything, until one ship came too close and we were finally allowed to intercept. We found the cargo hold full of Alolan Pokémon. After that, Madame President ordered a state of emergency, and now, we intercept every ship we see. Or, at least we try.”

“Try?” said Phantom, his mouth full of food.

“They’ve gotten wise to our methods and have become very evasive.”

“What do you do with the rescued Pokémon?” Kaito asked. 

“We rehabilitate them. We give them a physical and then release them into the conservation area.”

“You mean you don’t try to return them to their trainers?” Kaito questioned.

“Trainers?” Chisa gave them a confused look.

“Yeah! All of ‘em were stolen from their trainers! You haven’t tried to get them back to the mainland?”

“We… weren’t aware they had owners.”

“How could you not be?” Phantom cut into the conversation. “The ships were _going towards_ the Alolan Islands, not _away from_. Where else would they be getting Alolan Pokémon from?”

“When the ships were in range of our signals, or through the naked eye, there was a chance they were moving from one island to the next. The ships were also so intermittent we assumed they were shifting between using the route that took them near us and possibly going around the backs of the islands. The only Pokémon onboard were from Alola; we had no reason to believe they came from anywhere else.”

“Your foundation isn’t good at reconnaissance,” said Phantom.

“Knock it off!” Kaito growled. “Don’t insult the host!”

“You need to understand,” Chisa continued, “we may have partnerships with organizations on the islands, but we are not associated with the local government. They only contact us if they need our help or if they feel we are utilizing unethical methods in our research.”

“Unethical methods?” Shuichi repeated.

“Nothing too extreme, I promise! The only memory I can recall regarding that accusation was the Cliff Terrain Incident. One of our research teams collected too many samples on Route 12 of Ula’Ula Island. The local Mudsdale they used to traverse the terrain had to make multiple trips and eventually became too exhausted to continue. We got yelled at for that incident.”

“You didn’t think it was weird the ships were moving Alolan Pokémon between islands? And why did you start intercepting them if all they were doing was moving Pokémon?” said Shuichi.

“We intercepted the first ship due to suspicious activity. We continued because the Pokémon onboard were always in poor condition. One of our creeds is dedicating ourselves to the research, care, and conservation of Pokémon. The Pokémon on these boats, whether they’re coming from or to Alola, needed our care. So, we rescue them when we can,” Chisa explained. “But your claim that the Pokémon have owners needs to be investigated. I will have to file a report to the International Police.”

“Will that get the traffickers to stop?” asked Kaito.

“You’re implying there’s a trafficking ring?” Chisa looked very grim. “Yes, I suppose that makes sense.”

“You guys need to get out more,” Phantom said dismissively. 

“That may be true. Now then, as for my question.”

“Ah, yes,” Shuichi indicated she could continue.

“What were the three of you doing on the ship?”

“My Pokémon was stolen,” Kaito said immediately. “Some of those thugs broke into my house and stole Nebby. Shuichi told me they were heading for the docks— which makes sense, ‘cause the traffickers were docking there to load up the ships. We weren’t able to get on the same ship Nebby was on, so we jumped into the only one we still could.”

“Yeah, ‘cause that decision worked out so well for everyone,” Phantom mumbled. 

“Shut it!” Kaito snapped. “I don’t even know who you are, or what you were doing at the docks!”

“And let’s keep it that way, nitwit.”

“No fighting!” Chisa interrupted them sternly. The two stopped bickering but continued to glare at one another.

“I’m lucky Shuichi was still awake to take my call. He even ran down to the docks to help me,” said Kaito.

“Um,” Shuichi ducked his head, wishing he still had his hat, which had been knocked off his head during the fateful night. “There’s another reason I was down at the docks. They… stole one of my Pokémon too.”

“One of your Pokémon?” Kaito repeated, obviously confused. He glanced under the table at Lumine and Scout. “But Lumine was still in his Pokéball when we got into the cargo hold. And they wouldn’t have stolen Scout since he’s not an Alolan Pokémon. Who did they steal?”

“You… haven’t met him.”

“Well, maybe you can,” Chisa offered.

“What do you mean?” asked Shuichi.

“Once you’re done eating, I can take you up to the conservation area. If your Pokémon cleared their physicals, they’ll be up there. If not, we can check the infirmary.”

Shuichi felt a wave of relief wash over him. The two days he had spent in the cargo hold had been filled with tension and feelings of anxiety fueled by the unknown of what awaited them. Not only that, he had also spent the entire trip worried about Mosaic and whether their reunion would be immediate or not. Looks like the former was going to be the case. With the hopes that Mosaic was upstairs in the conservation area, Shuichi finished his breakfast with a peaceful mind. It was a bright and sunny day and the water outside the bay window was smooth and a refreshing blue color. He wondered which islands the ones in their sight were. Maybe he would get to visit one before heading back to the mainland?

After finishing breakfast and bussing their trays, Chisa led the three boys to a strange elevator located in the intersection of several hallways. She explained the main elevator was in the center of the building and stopped at all floors. The conservation area was located on the top floor. Shuichi couldn’t help but feel anxious the elevator wasn’t an enclosed room and stood as close to the control panel as he could. They emerged into the top level of the main building and Shuichi was instantly enchanted. The conservation area was under a large glass dome that let in natural lighting. There were raised walkways that provided vantage points to the grassy meadows, streams, and trees below, where Pokémon of all kinds frolicked and relaxed under the sunlight.

“Wow!” Phantom’s eyes sparkled. He ran to the edge of the walkway and leaned over the railing to look down. Jester was clinging to his head, but didn’t seem to mind the danger he was finding himself in.

“This place is huge!” said Kaito. “How are we gonna find them?”

“Just start calling for them, I guess,” Chisa suggested. “What species are they?” Kaito ran off down one of the walkways before she could finish her sentence. Phantom took off in a different direction, leaving Shuichi and Chisa standing by the elevator.

“If I had my phone, I could show you,” said Shuichi. “We don’t know Nebby’s species, and Mosaic is… difficult to explain.” He would have continued, but Chisa was distracted by the arrival of a young boy climbing one of the ramps that led into the lower portion of the conservation area.

“Director Yukizome?” he called out to her. Shuichi was immediately vexed by this boy’s appearances. He looked to be a preteen and was wearing a lab coat and carrying a clipboard. He had blue hair and two strands that appeared to stand up, almost like devil horns. He had pale skin, almost sickly-looking. But there was something about him… Maybe it was the skin or something in his face that didn’t feel quite… human. Or, was almost foreign.

“Nagisa!” Chisa waved him over. “Shuichi, this is Nagisa Shingetsu, our intern-prodigy. Nagisa, this is Shuichi; he was one of the boys trapped in the cargo hold.”

Nagisa eyed Shuichi with apparent disinterest before speaking with Chisa. With his guide occupied, Shuichi decided to explore the conservation area. With Lumine and Scout by his side, he descended the ramp and immediately kneeled in the grass upon reaching the bottom. After two days trapped in the cargo hold, there was no better feeling than touching the smooth blades of grass with his fingers. His behavior was odd enough to attract a Bounsweet, who curiously wandered over to see if he was foraging for something. A bark drew Shuichi’s attention and he raised his head to see a pair of Rockruff were play-bowing towards Lumine and Scout.

 _I can see why this place is called Paradise_. Shuichi sighed and sat down in the grass, stretching his legs out in front of him. Lumine and Scout began chasing and wrestling with the two Rockruff. There was a group of Corsola playing in a pool, reminding Shuichi of his conversation with Rantaro, the latter mentioning the foundation’s Corsola conservation program. Shuichi looked up upon hearing a strange noise and saw Sol the Solrock was flying overhead, no doubt trying to look for Nebby.

 _I need to focus_ , Shuichi stood back up. _I need to find Mosaic. I hope he’s having a good time here._ He chose to leave Lumine and Scout with their new friends and started searching. Upon realizing he needed a higher vantage point, he climbed the ramp again, walking past Nagisa and Chisa, and started crisscrossing the elevated walkways. He was seeing more Pokémon than he had ever seen in one place in his life. There were Aether Foundation employees down in the meadows, distributing food of various kinds, including fresh berries. One young woman was throwing pieces of Pokémon food over the stream, individual Wishiwashi leaping out of the water to catch them. Another worker held up a strange object that looked like a vase with small holes and an artificial flower on top. All four variants of Oricorio flocked to the object and began eating nectar from it. Shuichi ran into Phantom at one point, but the smaller boy was too enchanted by a group of Morelull and Shiinotic releasing glowing spores.

“Mosaic!” Shuichi called out, pausing to listen over the sound of rushing water and Pokémon noises. “Mosaic! Are you here!?”

“Who’s Mosaic?” Shuichi jumped when he heard a voice behind him, turning to see it was Nagisa. 

“Mosaic is my Pokémon,” Shuichi explained. “The traffickers stole him. That’s why I was in the cargo hold; I ran onto the ship to follow him.”

“That was pretty stupid,” Nagisa replied.

“I guess it was, but I wasn’t thinking logically at the time.” Shuichi glanced across the conservation area, spying a Rufflet preening its feathers in a tree. “It must be great to work here and be around all of these Pokémon.”

“I guess,” Nagisa shrugged indifferently. "I’m not interested in conservation.”

“Then, what are your interests?”

“Research. You ever hear about wormholes?”

“Kaito talks about them, but I thought they were science fiction. So, you research wormholes in space?”

“I can’t find Nebby!” Kaito came running up to Shuichi, his Pokémon floating after him. “He isn’t here. Where’s the infirmary?”

“Why do you want to know?” Nagisa asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Miss Yukizome said if we couldn’t find our Pokémon here, then she’d take us to the infirmary to check if they’re there.”

“…Fine,” Nagisa grumbled. “Follow me.”

After collecting Phantom and the rest of the groups’ Pokémon, Nagisa led them back to the elevator and took them down a couple levels. Nagisa wordlessly guided through the maze of hallways, giving silent salutations to other workers who crossed their path. Given the workers’ responses, this was a normal interaction. Finally, they arrived at a glass double-door with the word “Infirmary” inscribed on them in soft blue letters. The doors opened automatically for them and they stepped into room that almost reminded Shuichi of the breeding center at the Pokémon Daycare. There were “stalls” lining two opposite walls with stacks of cages built into the back wall. To their right was another doorway that led into the examination room.

Kaito pushed through and rushed to the cages at the back wall. Shuichi walked along to investigate each stall but didn’t see Mosaic in any of them. Likewise, Kaito didn’t find Nebby in the cages, his enthusiasm starting to deflate. The door to the examination room opened, drawing their attention. An Audino wearing a small nurse’s hat and an apron stepped out and gestured for them to stand aside. Kaito and Shuichi both tensed as an employee stepped through the door, carrying a bundle in his arms, but it was revealed to be an Alolan Meowth.

“Not here?” said Nagisa.

“No,” Shuichi sighed. 

His hopes had been dashed and now he was out of ideas of how to proceed. Chisa said the foundation had intercepted the ships and rescued the Pokémon, so where were Mosaic and Nebby? Was there another infirmary somewhere, or were they in isolation somewhere? That made sense; Mosaic was aggressive, and the foundation probably didn’t know what species he and Nebby were. Logically speaking, it was probably best to isolate them, so they could be studied before taking a chance and releasing them into the conservation area.

“Which one of you is Shuichi?” A foundation employee was standing in the doorway of the infirmary, holding up Shuichi’s cell phone. “There’s a girl on the phone and she sounds worried.”

Shuichi grabbed his phone and held it up to his ear, not bothering to check the caller ID. 

“Hello?”

“Shuichi!” Kaede nearly shrieked. “I’ve been so worried! Your aunt and uncle are frantic! The police are freaking out! But the yakuza people were very nice! One of them wants to play music with me!”

“Kaede, take a breath,” Shuichi directed, switching his phone to speaker. He heard her inhale and exhale a couple times before speaking again.

“Are you okay?” she asked, a little less hysterical.

“I’m fine; the Aether Foundation intercepted the ship and took us in. What do you know about what happened?”

“Your uncle called me— I guessed he called all of us— and we met down at the docks. The yakuza members explained what happened. They said you jumped into one of the ships.” Suddenly, there was a fumbling sound and noises that indicated a struggle. Shuichi shot Kaito and Phantom a quizzical look, staring blankly at his phone.

“Hello?” said a new voice.

“Maki?”

“Yeah hello, it would be very helpful if my idiot boyfriend could please explain why I was woken up at three in the morning, told to pack a bag, and jump on a boat to go to Alola and save his sorry ass.”

“I’m not here,” Kaito whispered.

“Wait,” Shuichi interjected. “’Jump on a boat and go to Alola?’ Are you in Alola right now?”

“Akala Island!” Kaede sang in the background.

“Who’s with you?”

“Everyone,” Maki replied. “Your uncle called everyone in our friend group and said you’d been abducted by the traffickers. Kaede was already with him during my phone call; she said she was going to Alola to get you back. I knew that wasn’t going to end well, so I packed a bag and came with. Didn’t realize what I was getting myself into.”

“What do you mean?”

“We crammed onto Rantaro’s boat and sailed for two days. Now, we’re in Alola.”

“You say that like you were forced against your will,” said Kaito.

“I thought you weren’t there?” Maki replied in a deadpanned tone, causing Kaito to wince. There was that fumbling sound again, indicating Kaede had stolen her phone back.

“Can you two meet up with us? We’re in Heahea City.”

“Three!” Phantom exclaimed.

“Who was that?”

“I’ll explain later. I’m sure the foundation will provide us a ride to the islands. We’ll see you all soon.” Shuichi ended the call, sighing and rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Knock, knock.” They turned to see Chisa was had entered the infirmary. The Audino from before happily trotted over to Chisa, who greeted her with a gentle rub on the head. “Your friends sound nice.”

“They are,” Shuichi responded. “Could you arrange some transport to take us to Akala Island? If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Of course! We have ferries that visit each of the islands. I take it you found your Pokémon and are leaving?”

“No,” Kaito replied. “Nebby and Shuichi’s Pokémon aren’t here. I thought you said you stopped the ships?”

“We were only able to stop two of the three. The third one escaped us.”

Shuichi felt a familiar feeling of horror set in. The foundation was only able to stop two of the ships, and if neither Mosaic nor Nebby were here, then that meant the ship that escaped was the one carrying them.

“Do you… know where the third ship may have gone?” he tentatively asked.

“Unfortunately, no. Based on your expression, I’m guessing your Pokémon were on that ship?” Shuichi nodded, once again wishing he had his hat. “What Pokémon species are they?”

“We don’t know,” said Kaito. “He was unidentified, and I don’t know anything about Shuichi’s Pokémon.”

“Type: Null.” Shuichi opened his gallery on his cell phone and pulled up a picture of Mosaic, handing it to Chisa. “Mosaic is a Type: Null, an artificial Pokémon.”

Chisa’s eyes widened when she saw the picture. Shuichi might have missed the nuances of her expression, but Phantom saw, his own eyes narrowing as he scrutinized her responses. Chisa swallowed and used her fingers to enlarge the picture. In a second, she wiped her features clean, no longer betraying what she was truly feeling, and handed the phone back.

“What do you know of Type: Null?” she asked, her tone firm.

“You know about him?” Shuichi asked. “What can you tell me?”

“Not much. We have some basic information, but we do not know who created it. What little information we’ve received has come from the International Police.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know much either.” He sorted through his gallery and found a picture of Kaito and Nebby. “Do you know what the species name of this one is? We call him Nebby.”

Chisa looked at the picture and shook her head, maybe a little too quickly. “No, I’ve never seen this Pokémon before.”

“Well,” Kaito crossed his arms, looking a little sullen, “I guess we don’t have a reason to stick around if they’re not here.”

“Don’t be upset,” Chisa smiled gently. “If what you said about these people is true, then it’s likely the third ship landed at one of the islands. If you’ve got the dedication, I’m sure you can find them. And from what I heard from that phone call, you’ve got a group of friends waiting for you who can help.”

“You’re right!” Kaito perked back up. “Nothing’s impossible! C’mon Shuichi! We gotta go meet up with everyone and start the search! It’s an adventure in Alola! You can come too,” he said to Phantom, who stuck his tongue out in response.

“Is it possible we could get some clothes that aren’t scrubs or hospital gowns?” Shuichi asked Chisa. "Or... my pajamas."

“I’m sure we can arrange that!” she replied cheerfully. “Why don’t you three return to the medical wing? I’ll bring you some clothes and arrange the itinerary for your journey to the islands.”

Kaito grabbed Shuichi by the arm and started pulling him in the direction he assumed the medical wing was, ignoring the latter’s protests. Nagisa, now free of his brief guiding responsibilities, went back to whatever he had been doing before, disappearing into the halls. Phantom followed his two companions at a slower pace, no longer flying down the halls so his impromptu cape could flutter behind him. All playfulness was lost, and his analyzing insight was beginning to categorize everything he’d witnessed. He could already tell Kaito was too trusting and Shuichi was too distracted to realize, but there was something else going on here. Phantom kept his gaze lowered but flicked his eyes back in Chisa’s direction without turning his head.

_You liar._

*

Chisa stood at the edge of the docks and waved farewell as the three boys left in the ferry, heading for Akala Island and their friends. She glanced around the docks, making sure no one was paying attention to her. She also looked up at the well-hidden security camera she knew was there. Trying to appear nonchalant, she pulled out her own cell phone and dialed a number she had been forced to memorize. It was too dangerous to leave it written down somewhere.

“The stolen Cosmog and Type: Null are in her possession once more.”

*

Shuichi finally understood the term “sea legs.” After stepping off the ferry, he was still able to feel the phantom motion of the water and nearly stumbled into a pole. He nervously chuckled and staggered down the dock, trying to avoid the stares of people. Kaito and Phantom weren’t faring much better, but at least managed to avoid running into anything or falling into the water. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to adjust enough to stand without swaying. Shuichi rested for a moment at the entrance to the docks, looking around at the buildings located on the pier. There was a visitor’s center, but Chisa had provided them maps of three of the four islands. Apparently, Poni Island had the lowest human population and most of the island was still claimed by the wilds.

“Shuichi!” The poor boy was almost tackled to the ground by Kaede. “I’m so happy to see you!”

“Kaede, it’s only been two days,” Shuichi patted her on the back, trying to reassure her and get released.

“Two days of you being trapped on a ship of dangerous people with no way to contact us! Do you have any idea how worried we were? Two days sailing to Alola, not knowing if we were even going to find you when we got here.”

“Kaede!” Kaito finally managed to wobble over to his friends. “Gimme a hug! I need a little affection before Maki rips my head off.” Kaede didn’t even get a chance to respond. Maki stormed over and grabbed Kaito by the collar of his shirt, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

“Start explaining,” she growled. 

“Maki-roll!” Kaito either didn’t register her anger or purposefully ignored it. He grinned widely and picked her up into a tight hug. Maki’s face turned bright red and she struggled to get loose. 

Usually, she succeeded in a few seconds, given her unnatural strength; however, she was either secretly happy to see Kaito or he was really, really happy to see her, and she couldn’t escape his grip. Finally, a swift kick to the shin forced him to drop her.

“Who’s that?” Maki asked upon seeing Phantom standing there and smirking.

“No one of interest, _Maki-roll_ ,” Phantom sneered.

Maki glared at him. “You don’t get to call me that, punk.”

“Let’s just calm down,” Shuichi stepped in to diffuse the situation. “I’ll explain everything. Where's everyone else?”

“They’re waiting at the Tide Song Hotel,” Kaede replied. “Or they should be. Maki and I said we were going to explore down by the water, so we could wait for you to show up. I don’t know if any of them decided to go exploring as well.”

“Lead us to the hotel. It’s time everyone knew what’s been going on.”

Shuichi, Kaito, and Phantom’s wobbly legs strengthened after a few minutes of walking. The city they had arrived in was Heahea city, the largest city on Akala Island. The Tide Song Hotel may not have the grandeur of hotels from the Kalos region Shuichi had seen pictures of from some of his friends’ trips, but there was a pleasant charm to it. Their group had just skirted the fountain when a chorus of voices descended upon them and Shuichi found himself surrounded by his friends, all of them urgently asking if he and Kaito were okay.

“This probably isn’t the best location to have this reunion,” said Kirumi. “Shall we retire to the rooms for more privacy?”

“You guys rented rooms at the hotel?” Shuichi asked. “That must have been expensive.”

“Rantaro and Kirumi took care of it,” Tsumugi explained. “And we shouldn’t be here long.”

“What do you mean?” Kaito asked.

“We came here to retrieve the two of you,” said Maki. “We weren’t planning on staying long.”

“But we can’t leave! We have to find Nebby and Mosaic!”

“What?” Several of their friends said in response.

“Take us to the rooms,” Shuichi directed. “I promise I’ll explain everything that’s happened over the past couple of months. I need to explain to my uncle as well and would prefer doing it all at once.”

“I brought my laptop, you can video-chat with him,” Rantaro offered.

They had only reserved two rooms, one for the girls and one for the boys, but the size of the rooms offered enough space for them to sleep, even if some of them were on the floor. They managed to cram into one room, taking up space wherever they could, including sitting on the beds, chairs, floor, and a decorative chest near the windows.

“Everyone,” Shuichi began, “I can’t thank you enough for dropping everything and coming to Alola to help me and Kaito. I’m sorry for the rude awakening and for making you worry. We’re okay; the traffickers never hurt us. We didn’t even see them entire time. But, to truly express the gravity of the situation, I need to start from the beginning. Rantaro, may I borrow your laptop?”

Uncle Jiro accepted the video-chat immediately, implying he’d been waiting for this moment to happen. He looked tired and unshaven, obviously worrying about the fate of his nephew for the past two days. Shuichi set the laptop on top of a desk; he was going to need room to pace.

“Shuichi! Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been!? What the hell happened!? The last thing I saw was you sprinting out of the house in the middle of the night! I get a notice there was a brawl down at the docks and show up to a bunch of bloody and unconscious bodies! Do you have any idea how devastating it was to see no sign of you and be handed your discarded hat!? Oh! And that’s not even getting into the fact that a member of the Kuzuryu Clan was the one who gave me the hat!”

“Uncle Jiro, please…” Shuichi murmured. “I’ll explain, just please stop shouting.”

Jiro halted in his yelling and ran a hand through his hair. “Shuichi, what happened?”

Shuichi took in a deep breath and looked around. All his friends were sitting patiently, a couple of them offering sympathetic looks. Phantom was sitting on the floor, leaning his back against the wall. Jester the Zorua had been released from his Pokéball and was sitting between his legs, having already foreseen the role he and his Pokémon were going to play in the explanation. With a waiting audience and nothing holding him back, Shuichi began telling his tale.

“In mid-July, two men came to the agency. Their Alolan Vulpix had been stolen and they wanted me to find her. I took the job and tracked the thieves to an old warehouse, where I not only found the Vulpix but many Alolan Pokémon being held captive. The thieves tried to escape in a box truck and I chased after them. They were stopped by a vigilante group named DICE, who are led by this individual right here.” Shuichi gestured to Phantom. The smaller boy stood up, a couple of Shuichi’s friends gawking at him. Obviously, they weren’t expecting this childlike individual to be the leader of the group rumored around the city to be responsible for stopping Pokémon thieves.

“DICE stopped the truck and surrendered the Pokémon to me and the agency. I was able to return the Alolan Vulpix to her owners, who revealed to me they were members of the Kuzuryu Clan. They gifted me a special coin I could turn in to their leader for a single favor.” Jiro looked like he was about pass out upon hearing that.

“Along with the Alolan Pokémon, I found a Zorua. No one came to claim him, and I believed he was without an owner. When Kaede found Spooky, I spent the day out looking for information. Angie and Rantaro said there was a large-scale trafficking ring abducting Pokémon from the mainland and returning them to Alola. I returned to the warehouse by myself. I thought it was one of the stops on the traffickers’ route. There, I returned the Zorua to his trainer: Phantom.” Shuichi nodded at the other boy.

“Wait,” Kaito interrupted, pointing at Jester. “This is the same Zorua?” 

“You spent two days locked up with us and didn’t figure that out?” said Phantom.

“I had a hunch the Zorua had been returned,” Rantaro cut in. 

“How?” Kaito asked incredulously.

“I offered to take the Zorua, remember? The unclaimed Pokémon were a Bounsweet, Yungoose, and Zorua. You and Kaede had already adopted Comet and Spooky, but those three had no one claim them. When Shuichi dropped off the Bounsweet and Yungoose at my house, there was no sign of the Zorua. Between then and now, he never mentioned it again. I assumed he either gifted it to someone else or found the original trainer.”

“I did find his trainer,” Shuichi continued. “And I made a deal with Phantom that DICE and I would work together to stop the traffickers. They would anonymously alert the agency when traffickers had been spotted in the city. I explored the warehouse and I found a hidden underground cell in the back room. Inside, was a Pokémon I had never seen before.”

“Are you kidding!?” Phantom snapped. “It was under my feet that whole time!?”

“I didn’t know its name at the time, so I named him Mosaic. But, later I learned his identity.” Shuichi pulled up a picture from his phone’s gallery. “Type: Null, an artificial Pokémon, codenamed: Beast Killer.”

There was a shuffling of feet off to the side and Shuichi found his phone snatched out of his hand by Korekiyo, who studied the picture of the entity Shuichi had come asking him about. Kirumi approached more calmly but displayed a sort of curiosity when she saw the picture. Everyone except Kaede, Rantaro, and Keebo gradually stood up to see the picture, eventually handing the phone back to Shuichi so he could hold it up to the camera to show his uncle.

“Mosaic was extremely hostile,” Shuichi resumed, “but I began to gradually gain his trust. When Jun told me the warehouse was scheduled to be destroyed, I had to find a new place to move him, so I turned in my favor to the Kuzuryu Clan. They provided a new habitat for him, located on their compound, and helped me move him there. I became friends with a couple of the members. Uncle, I swear, they were nothing but courteous to me. I never felt threatened when I was with them. Two nights ago, after the concert, I introduced Kaede and Rantaro to Mosaic and… it went well. I returned home, but Phantom called me and told me some of the traffickers had docked and a group had gone into the city to retrieve two ‘special cases.’ Those special cases turned out to be Mosaic and Nebby. I returned to the Kuzuryu Compound just in time to see the traffickers steal Mosaic. The clan gave me a ride down to the docks. Along the way, Kaito called me and said Nebby had been stolen. I told him to head to the docks as well. DICE were already fighting when we got there. The Kuzuryu clan members tried to stop the traffickers, but they got through and onto one of the ships. I ran into the cargo hold of the last ship to leave; Kaito and Phantom followed me. The Aether Foundation intercepted two of the three boats and rescued us. That’s the end.”

Jiro’s eyes looked glazed over, a hand covering his mouth. Shuichi had never seen him look so exhausted and felt guilty being the cause of his weariness. Shuichi never wanted to be a burden, and he had caused so much grief for his friends and family by making a stupid choice, spurred by impulsiveness.

“Shuichi,” Jiro spoke up, “come home right now.”

“I can’t do that,” Shuichi replied without thinking.

“I’m not going to argue with you. Come. Home. Now.”

“I’m not leaving these islands until I find Mosaic.” Shuichi steeled himself against his desire to obey. He knew Jiro only wanted what was best for him, and leaving the islands was most likely what was best, but he couldn’t…

“And I’m not leaving until I find Nebby!” Kaito added, approaching to stand beside Shuichi.

“You do not have the resources to be roaming around the Alolan Islands!” Uncle Jiro argued. “Do you even have any leads of where to start looking?”

“I’m a detective,” Shuichi answered. “I’ll find them.” 

“I have the resources!” Angie suddenly spoke up. “I have family here on Akala Island and they’ll know the local news better than we will. You won't find better hospitality.”

“See? I’ll be okay,” Shuichi insisted.

“He’ll have us,” declared Kaede. “I’ll stay with him.”

“So will I,” said Rantaro. Soon everyone was confirming their stance: they were willing to stay on the islands and help Shuichi and Kaito track down their Pokémon.

“Are you all sure?” Uncle Jiro asked. “This is a big commitment and have any of you actually embarked on a Pokémon journey?”

“I’m an adventurer,” said Rantaro. “I’ve sailed all over the world.”

“And I’m an anthropologist,” said Kiyo. “I’ve done research in countless lands. Angie said she has family here; I’m sure we will be fine.”

“Shuichi,” Uncle Jiro had a melancholic expression, “is this what you want?”

“Yes, it is,” Shuichi assured. “I promise I’ll keep in contact and if, at any time, I’m in over my head, I’ll call you.”

Jiro’s face finally relaxed into a smile. “I want regular updates. I’ll deposit some money in your account. And take plenty of pictures for your aunt when you get back.”

“I promise,” Shuichi smiled back.

*

Shuichi held up a shirt to his chest and looked at his reflection in the mirror. When his friends had been alerted about his abduction, Kaede had packed a bag for him and brought it along. He was grateful for that, especially since all he had to wear were the simple t-shirt and shorts Chisa had loaned him. Even still, Kaede had only packed enough for a couple days at the most, since she assumed they would find him and Kaito and immediately turn around to come home. Although, she did have the foresight to bring him his phone charger, but forgot to bring a swimsuit for him. The same issue affected all his friends: they didn’t have enough clothes (but did bring swimsuits). That was how they had ended up in a clothing store, shopping for a few extra outfits. Rantaro and Kirumi had offered to pay as long as no one went overboard.

“I can see this is an issue,” said Tsumugi tapped her chin with her finger, looking Gonta up and down. “Gonta, is it ever problematic finding clothes that fit?”

“Yes,” Gonta hung his head in shame.

“Don’t be ashamed!” Tsumugi reassured him. “You just have a unique body.”

“Found some!” Miu held a shirt that almost looked like a poncho in comparison to her. The shirt was red and decorated with white Alolan flowers.

“Can’t you wear anything other than black?” Tenko asked Shuichi, eyeing the shirt in his hand.

Shuichi looked down at the shirt; he hadn’t even realized it was black. Sighing, he refolded the shirt and set it back on the shelf. Phantom had already picked out an outfit and was enthusiastically trying on hats. Everyone was vexed at the smaller boy’s presence but seemed to accept him. For some reason, Gonta had taken an instant liking to him, which Phantom took advantage of. He had ridden on Gonta’s shoulders during the walk to the shop.

“Shuichi!” Kaede approached him with a shirt in her hand. She was wearing a purple flower-printed top, blue pleated shorts, and a trilby hat with a white band. She held out the shirt, obviously wanting him to try it on.

“But… it’s black.”

“So? You look good in black.” She pushed the shirt into his hand, spun him around, and pushed him toward the changing rooms. 

Kirumi was walking out as Shuichi walked in, wearing a sea-foam green sundress. He had never seen her in anything so loose and flowing. The shirt Kaede had given him turned out to be a black pinstriped collared shirt. Along with the navy-colored capris, the outfit was simple but fitting. He stepped out of the changing room only to be nearly knocked over by Phantom. The smaller boy shoved a hat onto Shuichi’s head and ran off laughing. Shuichi stepped in front of a mirror and saw the hat was a black bucket hat. The brim ran all the way around the hat and hung lower than his baseball cap. It would do for now; it wasn’t like he could get his hat back when it was all the way back on the mainland.

“You idiot, that’s a woman’s hat!” someone scolded.

“But I make it look good!” Phantom argued, pulling the floppy sunhat down over his head. His outfit was reminiscent of his white DICE outfit. He had picked out white shorts, a black-and-white striped tank top, and a pale purple overshirt that hung halfway down his thighs. He had also picked out a pair of pair of sparkling pink sunglasses. Tenko and Himiko were looking at shoes, the former favoring sandals but the latter commenting what a pain it would be to get sand stuck in open-toed shoes. Kaede and Tsumugi were looking at accessories and happily pinning various barrettes and decorations into Gonta's hair, who seemed just as delighted as they were.

“Maki!” Kaito raced across the shop, nearly taking out a spinning rack of hats, and pinned an artificial flower into Maki’s hair. “Perfect!”

“Wear short sleeves!” Angie was pulling at Kiyo’s new shirt. The curator had managed to find a long-sleeved shirt that was aerated on the back. “You need a tan!”

“Are you not going to pick anything?” Kiyo asked, trying to redirect her attention.

“I have clothes at home.”

“Where’s home?” asked Ryoma. “You said you were from Akala Island, right?”

“Yes-yes! I originate from Konikoni City; it’s south of here. We can either take Rantaro’s boat around the coast or walk through Diglett’s Tunnel.”

“Tunnel!” Tenko cheered. “We’re going on an adventure; we can’t detour!”

“I agree with Tenko. I’m not getting back on that boat for a while,” said Ryoma. “Besides, we’re on the Alolan islands; might as well see all there is to see while we can.”

"I agree on walking through the tunnel," said Shuichi. "I don't want to get on another boat for a long time." 

“Yah-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Angie laughed. “We stay the night at the Tide Song Hotel and set out for Konikoni City in the morning! Rantaro, there are docks at Konikoni for your boat. You can move it there while we travel on foot. Just follow the coast south; you can’t miss it.”

“Has everyone picked suitable outfits?” Kirumi announced. “If so, please collect your clothes so that we may check out.”

“Can’t I wear these out?” Phantom complained, gripping his sunhat.

“Give me the tags,” Rantaro held his hand out. 

"Wait!" Kaede suddenly pushed an article of clothing into Shuichi's hand, grinning an almost evil smile. Shuichi investigated the item and shuddered when he saw it was a pair of swimming trunks, but they were bright, neon green. 

"No," he responded firmly, shoving the swimsuit back at her. "I'm putting my foot down on this one.

"Spoilsport," she pouted, but helped him pick out a pair of blue swim trunks. 

Loaded with shopping bags, the group trekked back to the hotel. With only one day to spend in Heahea City, they decided to choose some places close by to sight-see. Since the hotel was on beach-front property, the first destination was a no-brainer. The group changed into their swimsuits and raced for the beach in a flurry of activity. Multiple flashes of light accompanied the release of their Pokemon, who were just as overjoyed to be at the beach as their owners, despite some not being able to go in the water. 

"Ryoma, where're your Pokémon?" Shuichi asked when he didn't see the tennis player's Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, or Purrloin.

"I left them at home with my girlfriend. They're not battlers anyway," Ryoma replied. 

Lumine and Scout began digging into the sand, only to be spooked when a Sandygast suddenly popped up. The duo scrambled away and hid behind Maki's Marowak, who swung his Thick Club at the living sand castle threateningly. In contrast, Maki's Togetic swooped down and cheered loudly, oblivious to the hostility. The Sangygast huffed and disappeared back into the beach, leaving everyone mystified and worried about where they were stepping. There was a large group of people at the water, watching the group of friends tiptoe across the sand and laughing amongst themselves. Some were sitting on surf boards, but others were on the backs of Mantine wearing strange harnesses. 

“What’s going on?” Kaito bounded to the edge of the water, trying to minimize his contact with the sand.

“Mantine-surfing, _braddah_ ,” said one of the surfers. “You balance on Mantine’s back and ride da waves.”

“Who at da top ranks?” Angie asked. Suddenly, her accent was thicker, and it almost seemed like she was imitating the surfers, but Shuichi knew better than to assume that. Angie was born and raised in Alola. She wasn’t imitating the accent, she was picking it back up after coming home. Being on the mainland influenced her speech patterns and her accent faded slightly, but now it was back full-force.

“See fo’ yourself,” one of the surfers gestured to a wooden board on the beach etched with names and scores. “Top ranker _hehena_ , he's a _lolo buggah_.”

“How delightful!” said Kiyo.

“What are you so excited about?” Miu spat.

“They’re speaking Alolan pidgin, a creole language spoken among locals. Despite the name, Alolan pidgin is not, by definition, a pidgin language, but a fully-formed, nativized creole language.”

One of the surfers started laughing like Kiyo had just told the funniest joke ever. The laughter did nothing to deter Kiyo, who pulled out a notepad from a pocket in his shirt and started writing things down enthusiastically.

“ _Malihini_?” one of the surfers asked Angie, gesturing to her friends.

“Yep-yep! Headin’ out for Konikoni in da mornin’,” she replied.

“Stay! Swim! Talk story! After, we'll show you hidey-holes to get some good _kaukau_.”

“What?” Shuichi whispered to himself, completely boggled by the nuances of this language.

“They said they’ll show us a local place to get good food,” Angie explained. “Get used to hearin' it. Pidgin’s spoken a lot among locals, but we’re pretty good at switchin’ languages for visitors.”

“Can you teach us?” Kaede asked excitedly. “I want to speak pidgin!”

“You’ll pick it up,” Angie assured her. “If you don’t understand, be polite and they’ll explain the terms.”

“Pick a pronunciation!” Miu complained. “Stop swapping languages.”

“Ah-ah-ah,” Angie wagged a finger at her. “Pidgin for the locals, common for you guys until you learn for yourselves.”

“I didn’t come to Alola to learn a different language,” Miu pouted, but her Octillery barreled her over in his eagerness to get in the water. One of the surfers whooped and high-fived Octillery. Miu grumbled curse words under her breath and chased her Pokémon into the water, attempting to punch him in the head. 

Kaito jumped in as well, approaching one of the Mantine and trying to climb on its back. Despite the Mantine patiently holding still, he managed to get on but fell when the surfers instructed him to stand. Shuichi stepped into the water, letting the gentle waves wash over his feet. He looked out over the ocean, the sun, high in the clear blue skies, reflecting off the shimmering water. It was peaceful here, his friends splashing in the water (although Kiyo was standing and contemplating just like he was). But he wasn’t here to marvel at the beauty of the islands. He was here for Mosaic, and just like he said to his uncle—

He wasn’t leaving until he found his Pokémon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lived on one of the Hawaiian Islands for a year. I was exposed to the traditional language and Hawaiian pidgin, but am by no means fluent. I've integrated the two languages into the fic. The only difference will be "aloha" changed to "alola." So, wherever you see "alola" being used (and not referring to the region's name), it's just replacing "aloha." If, by any chance, I have readers who are more familiar with Hawaiian pidgin, I apologize if some of the sentences or terms are not correct; I tried my best.


	10. Meet the Monokubs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Shuichi and his friends settle into Alolan lifestyles, Angie undergoes a spiritual task to find answers, and the adventurers are confronted by a mysterious group of trainers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Monotaro: Magmar  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse  
> Monokid: Poliwrath  
> Monodam: Gogoat  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 10: Meet the Monokubs

“Tunnel ho!” Angie ran ahead of the group, pointing to the opening of Diglett’s Tunnel. She stood in the opening, nearly vibrating with excitement while she waited for them to catch up. Along with being a Diglett habitat and path to Konikoni city, the tunnel was also a tourist attraction. There was a plaque located at the entrance describing the history of the tunnel. Shuichi approached the plaque and began skimming the words until he saw something interesting.

**You may notice the Diglett and Dugtrio in the tunnel look differently than the ones on the mainland. That’s because these Pokémon are Alolan variants. They can be identified by their hair, which are actually thin strands of steel that can detect underground vibrations. If you happen to see any strands that have been shed, please leave them be. It is considered bad luck to take a Diglett or Dugtrio’s hairs.**

“Who you calling a ‘tunnel ho?’” Miu shouted, her voice echoing loudly into the tunnel.

“Be quiet,” Maki growled, causing Miu to whimper and shy away. “There’re other people around trying to enjoy their vacation.”

“It looks a little dark,” said Gonta.

“There’s a lit path,” Angie explained. “There’s some construction to maintain the tunnel’s structure and they don’t want people wandering off. And the Diglett and Dugtrio know to stay off the path ‘cause that’s where the people walk.”

Lumine was eager to get going and was performing an excited tippy-tap dance. Given he was a Rock-type, he had little apprehension for going underground. Angie enthusiastically forged the path, everyone filing behind her. As she had previously mentioned, the path they were meant to walk was illuminated with lamp-like lights. The lights were bright enough to offer a view of most of the tunnel except for the farthest reaches. There were some solitary lights in the distance that appeared to be illuminating where the construction was taking place since, even from this distance, they were able to see the shadows of machinery. Overall, Shuichi couldn’t help but feel a little bored. The tunnel was just a tunnel with no features that stood out from any other. He had heard both Rantaro and Kiyo talk about more interesting caves from other regions, such as Reflection Cave in Kalos, full of mirror-like crystals, or Chargestone Cave in Unova, which had strange electromagnetic properties that caused rocks full of metal ore to levitate.

Shuichi almost stumbled over a crouched body in front of him. He regained his footing and looked down to discover both Keebo and Kaito were crouching and pointing at a small mass creeping towards the path. Once it was in range of the lamps’ glow, it was revealed to be an Alolan Diglett. The entire group halted to look at the Pokémon as it crept closer to the lit path. Some tourists who were walking in the opposite direction, back toward Heahea City, stopped to take pictures of the Diglett.

“Why bother?” said Miu. “It doesn’t look all that different from the ones on the mainland.”

Lumine suddenly shot forward and tried to jump on the Alolan Diglett, who shot underground just in time. It popped up behind Lumine, who whirled around but just missed it once again. A second Alolan Diglett joined in with the first and Lumine found himself wearing himself out trying to catch both.

“Lumine, stop!” Shuichi ordered, worried they might get in trouble for harassing the local Pokémon. _You’d think they would have learned from the incident on the beach with the Sandygast._

“No, Lumine, don’t stop!” Angie giggled. “Whack-a-Diglett!”

“Are you sure they don’t mind?”

“They look like they’re having fun,” Angie pointed out. She was right; the Alolan Diglett were letting out little squeals that, at first, Shuichi had mistaken for fear, but now he saw they were joyful. Scout joined in and two more Diglett showed up.

“Get in there, Shuichi,” Kaede pushed against his back, trying to push him off the path.

“No! I’m not going to stomp on a Diglett!” he argued back. 

“These are Ground-Steel types,” Maki cut in. “I’m sure they can handle a foot to the head.”

Lumine and Scout tired themselves out, splaying on the rocky floor and panting. Shuichi returned them to their Pokéballs, not feeling up to carrying them both. After the slight delay, Angie steered the group’s attention back onto walking the path. The Alolan Diglett followed them, to Kaede and Gonta’s absolute joy. To fill the monotony, she began talking endlessly about Konikoni City. Despite her mile-a-minute talking, from which Shuichi could barely recognize any useful information, he appreciated her enthusiasm. She was clearly excited about showing them her home and the islands, and he couldn’t blame her. If he had come from somewhere as exotic as Alola, he’d be excited to show off his home as well. 

It didn’t take long to get through the tunnel. Maybe it was a little morbid, but Shuichi was delighted to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The sunlight was little intense after being underground, forcing several of them to cover their eyes with their hands or sunglasses. After his eyes adjusted, Shuichi was astounded to see they were at the top of a gentle slope that led down to the ocean. Somehow, seeing the shimmering blue majesty from the islands was even more impactful than what he had seen from Aether Paradise. Maybe it was due to the combination of green and brown, rather than being surrounded in blinding white. It was more natural.

Angie cheered and released her Pokémon, who all rejoiced when they realized how close they were to home. Taking her lead, the other released their Pokémon as well. Shuichi decided to keep his in their Pokéballs for now, giving them more time to recover. There was a dirt path leading from the entrance/exit of the tunnel. It went down the slope and curved to the right, but there were trees and rocks blocking their sight of where it went. Angie led the charge down the slope, a charge only a few of them joined while the rest walked at their own pace. 

“Do you think Konikoni is like Heahea?” Kaito wondered out loud. 

“Konikoni City is older and less modern,” said Kiyo. “Angie’s shown me pictures.”

The stragglers of group suddenly heard cheering and whooping, speeding up their pace to see what the excitement was all about. They rounded the trees and saw the rest of their friends under a large decorative arch. Beyond the arch, the dirt path turned into a central cobblestone street that went directly through the city. “City” might be a bit of an exaggeration. After having been in Heahea, Konikoni wasn’t nearly as impressive in size. Even from a distance, it looked like there were no buildings over two stories tall. The buildings themselves looked like pagodas and had decorative trims over the windows. It was almost like walking into a themed village. The city was nestled between a cliff and the coast, with a small marina near the far edge.

Shuichi pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the arch. He had a feeling his aunt would like this place. It was quaint and there wasn’t the hustle-and-bustle normally associated with a city. It didn’t even look like there were any cars on the streets. There were a couple carts though, being pulled by large Pokémon.

“Are there no cars allowed?” Shuichi asked.

“A long time ago, when the city was established as a settlement, they used Mudsdale to move around, cart things, and flatten the land at the same time,” Angie explained. “But, once they laid down stone, they realized the Mudsdale broke through them with their strength. To maintain the roads, cars and Mudsdale are not allowed on the stones. Besides, the closest settlement is Heahea, and you just saw how easy and quick it is to get there without cars.”

“I’m guessing cars aren’t allowed in the tunnel either?” Kaede spoke.

“Did you see a road?” Maki pointed out. 

“Come on! Come on!” Angie urged them. “My family’s home is on the other side of the city. We’ll drop off our belongings and get sorted out, then I’ll show you the city.”

“Do your parents know we’re coming?” Kirumi asked.

“Nope!” Angie ran off down the cobblestone street, laughing manically.

Although perplexed, they followed her, a few of them feeling apprehensive about showing up out of the blue at her parents’ house. Angie had assured them it would be just fine, but Shuichi couldn’t help but take note of how many there were in their group and what a burden that could be to spring on someone all at once. It didn’t take long to walk through the city, an arch just like the one at the entrance greeting them. The citizens glanced at them but didn’t seem overly interested. Shuichi figured they were used to tourists, but the size of their group drew a little more attention than normal. The very last building of the city appeared to be a restaurant on their left. The delicious smells and sounds of talking and laughter coming from inside were an obvious clue. The entrance to the small marina was near the restaurant as well, and it was there they found the last member of their entourage. 

“Rantaro!” Kaito called out to him. Rantaro had been sitting on one of the support post for the dock, head bent as he read something in his lap. He looked up upon hearing his name and jumped off the post to join them, swinging his bag onto his shoulder.

“How long have you been waiting?” Ryoma asked him.

“Not long. Sitting near the restaurant was torture though,” he laughed. “I hope lunch is waiting for us.”

“Angie didn’t even tell her family we were coming,” Maki revealed. “They’re going to be blindsided.”

“It’s a surprise!” Angie insisted. “Trust me, they’ll be happy.”

“I wouldn’t be happy if a bunch of strangers suddenly stormed into my house.”

“But you’re not strangers! Now, lighthouse ho!” She dramatically pointed past the arch to a lighthouse situated on a cliff above the water.

“Who you callin’ a lighthouse h—,” Miu started.

“Stop it,” Kaede punched her in the shoulder. 

Past the arch was an open space that appeared to be a park. There were some people with their Pokémon, including a little girl chasing a Pikachu. There was also a couple who appeared to be having a picnic lunch close to the water. The sight alone made Shuichi’s stomach growl. Rantaro’s comment about lunch suddenly became more relevant, and the scents wafting from the restaurant were definitely not helping. He didn’t know how Rantaro had put up with it waiting for them to show up.

Angie directed them to a small path along the fence line. The path went up steeply until it flattened at the peak of the hill. The path meandered between trees and rocks, each turn leading them deeper and deeper into a forest. They were still able to see the top of the lighthouse over the trees. Given Angie’s directions, Shuichi had assumed they were going to the lighthouse, but they kept walking until it was behind them. However, soon after passing the lighthouse, the forest opened into a clearing on top of a low cliff overlooking the water. In the distance, they could see some of the tops of buildings and the docks of Heahea City. But that wasn’t the most interesting thing.

Shuichi had assumed Angie’s family lived in a modest house, not the expansive complex of interconnected buildings that stood before them. The main building was a two-story square-shaped structure with a space in the center that appeared to be a courtyard of some kind. On the outside was a roofed, open-sided veranda that wrapped around the whole building. On one side of the square was a hall that led to multiple more buildings, some that almost looked like they were standalones but were connected by stone paths with covered roofing that extended from the roof of the main building. The buildings were white with green trim but lacked a lot of windows that Shuichi expected such a large house to have. 

“Angie, your family lives _here_?” Shuichi said in amazement.

“What did you expect?” she giggled in response. “A grass hut?”

Before anything else could be said among them, a young woman suddenly turned the corner while walking along the roofed veranda. She was wearing a set of robes dyed in gorgeous shades of pink with black accents. Her pale, almost-white hair was pulled back into a ponytail with what looked like a crown of flowers on her head. She froze upon seeing the large group standing at the head of the path, taking a hesitant step forward before letting out an excited shriek and sprinting toward them, surprisingly limber despite the encumbrance of her robes.

“Leilani!” she shouted, wrapping Angie into a tight hug and spinning her around. Everyone who had been standing near Angie backed away to avoid being hit.

“What does _Leilani_ mean?” Shuichi whispered to Kiyo, hoping his cultural expertise gave him a firmer grasp of the language than Shuichi had.

“I think it means ‘heavenly flower’ or something like that,” Rantaro responded instead, having overheard Shuichi’s question.

“Oh… is it like a nickname or term of endearment?”

“I am currently contemplating it,” Kiyo answered.

“Everyone,” Angie spoke once the woman let go, “this is my cousin, Makana. Makana, these are my friends, but it’ll be easier to introduce them all once the family comes back. Are Mama and Papa around?”

“No,” Makana responded, her voice and accent just as musical as Angie’s. “They are out on the water.” Angie’s Pokémon crowded the two and were greeted just as cheerily as their trainer had been.

“Does your whole family live here?” Tsumugi asked.

“No, but they’re around,” Angie replied.

When Angie had promised lunch, Shuichi had felt like they would be imposing on her family, especially since there was so many of them. But, despite the daunting task, Makana almost seemed overjoyed. It probably helped that a couple of them offered to assist. With open arms, Makana welcomed them into the house (more like an estate), instructing them to leave their shoes outside on the roofed veranda, which Shuichi learned was called a lanai. The room the front door opened to appeared to be a sitting room of some kind with about four chairs arranged around a short but wide table and two throne-like chairs set further back against a sliding door that led to the courtyard in the center of the house square. The walls were decorated with maps of the islands, paintings, and what looked like a framed document. There were also glass cases lining the walls with various artifacts inside, like a brass telescope and a carved wooden mask. Kiyo immediately focused on these artifacts, and when neither Angie nor Makana commented about him approaching the cases, Shuichi assumed it was okay to look at the items. 

There were two doorways on the right and left upon entering the sitting room. Makana led them through the one on the left. They entered a hallway that turned an abrupt right and opened into a kitchen and dining area. Well, the table looked as if it were intended for smaller family meals since it didn’t look like it could fit more than six, and there were six chairs. The kitchen, however, looked as if it could cook a meal to feed fifty, and maybe it had at some point. Outfitted with modern appliances Shuichi envisioned to be in the kitchen of Kirumi’s family’s restaurant, the kitchen was immaculately clean without a speck of food or stain anywhere. 

“It would be best if you wait in the courtyard,” Makana directed, gesturing to another sliding door. 

Kaito was the one who approached the door, sliding it open to reveal another lanai formed the perimeter of the courtyard. The courtyard itself was decorated with a cobblestone design like the streets of Konikoni, with small areas of grass and a pond in one corner.

“The dining room is across the way,” Makana indicated towards the opposite side of the square. “But it is best we eat here, in the courtyard, so your Pokémon can enjoy as well.”

With those magic words spoken, everyone released their Pokémon, filling the courtyard with a diverse group of creatures. Makana looked delighted to be among Pokémon she had never seen before and marveled at some of the odder ones, such as Kiyo’s Honedge. Angie, Kirumi, and Rantaro returned to the kitchen to help prepare lunches for seventeen people and dozens of Pokémon. Tenko, Miu, and Gonta expressed dire interests in exploring the house, each one having to be pacified in their own unique ways. Tenko stayed because Himiko stayed, Miu was threatened by Maki to behave, and Gonta was told it was impolite (read: ungentlemanly) to explore one’s house without their permission. The rest of the group was more than content to sit in the courtyard, either in the shade of the lanai’s roof or on the sun-warmed stones of the courtyard. Some of the Pokémon had sprawled themselves onto the stones, soaking up the warmth, prompting Ryoma to quip that he should have brought his cat Pokémon.

“What do you think this is?” Tsumugi’s question drawing everyone’s attention to a large stone in the corner of the courtyard. The stone had a string of ornaments decorating the top of it, which were the object of Tsumugi’s examination. 

“Z-crystals,” Kiyo replied bluntly. “Wooden Z-crystals. They must be decorative replicas.”

Lumine suddenly jumped up and pulled the string of ornaments off the stone. He raced across the courtyard, dodging everyone’s attempts to catch him and Shuichi’s orders for him to stop. The Rockruff slipped through the sliding door into the kitchen, Shuichi barely missing running into Kirumi as he tried to chase Lumine down. Their chase went through the corner hall and back into the sitting room. Lumine turned a sharp right when he noticed the front door was open.

The front door was open?

Shuichi tripped on the rug in the sitting room and went tumbling, thankfully dodging any precious relics. He sat up and turned his head to see who had appeared at the front door, especially since he was sure they shut the door when they came through. A man and woman were standing there, shocked to see a Rockruff and young man they didn’t recognize in their house. They both had white hair, but Shuichi couldn’t tell if that was due to their apparent age or their relation to Angie. Since Makana stated Angie’s parents weren’t there when they got there, he assumed these people were Angie’s mother and father.

“Hey there, pup. How about you give that to me?” the man recovered from his shock and kneeled to be at Lumine’s level. He gently pulled the string of ornaments from the Rockruff’s mouth and then picked him up, rubbing Lumine’s belly with one hand.

“ _Alola_ ,” the woman greeted Shuichi, helping him to his feet. “Who are you, and what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

_That’s not how I would react to coming home and finding a stranger in my house._

“Mama! Papa!” Angie raced down the corner hall and nearly threw herself into the woman’s arms. The man set Lumine down on the floor and joined the two in a group hug.

“Leilani!” Somehow, despite his age, the man was able to pick up Angie and the woman in his arms.

Shuichi heard a strange noise behind him and turned to see the sliding door forming the back wall of the sitting room had been pushed open, his friends peering through to see what the commotion was. The ones at the front of the peering crowd were suddenly pushed aside as Makana leapt through and joined the group hug.

“Everyone,” Angie announced once the four broke apart, “meet my mother and father: Wikolia and Keoni. Mama, Papa, these are my friends.”

“Welcome!” Keoni swept his arms out as if he were about to hug each one of them. “My apologies we were not here to welcome you to our home.”

“It’s not like Angie even told you we were coming,” Kaede revealed.

“It’s a bigger surprise that way,” Wikolia interjected, her bubbly personality a dead giveaway for the source of Angie’s constant cheerfulness.

Keoni and Wikolia were surprisingly content with a house full of strangers, human and Pokémon alike. Lunch was served in the courtyard: Pokémon food mixed with berries for the Pokémon and a noodle dish named saimin, which Makana compared to ramen. Under the warmth of a noon sun, everyone relaxed and enjoyed their lunches, sitting together like they had known each other forever. There was some small talk between gulps of food, but they unanimously decided to save the full story for afterwards. Thankfully, Lumine and Scout were too full of lunch to cause anymore chaos.

“Okay,” Keoni set his bowl down on the floor of the lanai. “Let us start from the beginning.” He spoke in a slow, methodical manner. Shuichi can almost hear his wisdom in every word.

“My name is Shuichi Saihara,” he introduced himself. “My Pokémon and my friend Kaito’s Pokémon, were abducted by traffickers, who brought them here to the islands.”

“And we’re on a quest to find them!” Kaito cut in.

“I was wondering if you had heard anything about these traffickers?” Shuichi asked.

Keoni rubbed his chin and hummed softly. Shuichi couldn’t help but feel uneasy the longer the older man remained silent. Either Keoni knew something or he didn’t. The long stretch of silence made Shuichi feel as if Keoni was trying to word his reply very carefully, which indicated there was more to the situation than what was on the surface.

“Do any of you know of the old families and their past?” Keoni suddenly said. After everyone shook their heads (although Shuichi was sure Kiyo did know something and just copied everyone else, lest he interrupt Keoni’s explanation), Keoni continued. 

“Long, long ago, the Alolan Islands were ruled by a line of kings. When Lunala and Solgaleo descended from the heavens and blessed the islands, the ancient king was gifted with the power of the stars from the Beasts of Light. To ensure the power’s prosperity and protection of the islands, the king divided his rule, gifting each of his three sons one of the islands. The king and his sons, living on the four islands, were the progenitors of the four old families that flourish to this day. These families are as followed: Keawe of Ula’ula, Kamaka of Akala, Kemele of Melemele, and Keala of Poni.”

“And you are the Kamaka family?” Kaede guessed.

“Correct. The families are descended from kings and, to this day, we are revered for upholding the cultures and traditions of Alola, but we are not the governing body of the islands. The government does seek our advice on current issues, but we do not make those decisions. Recently, three of the families of noticed some… harsh views coming from the fourth. As you may have noticed, we live a comfortable, modern life here. This land has been in the family since its origin, but the house has changed several times through the years. We enjoy modern technology and mixed cultures, as do two of the other families.”

“But not the fourth,” Shuichi concluded.

“Exactly. The Keala family of Poni used to keep to themselves. Poni is the least-populated islands and they live in relative solitude, focusing most of their effort into the traditions of Alola. Lately, they have been speaking out about some of the culture mixing taking place on the islands, as well as introduced Pokémon. They have stated their belief that only Alolan Pokémon should belong on the islands.”

“What about the Alolan variants?” Shuichi asked.

“They believe the variants have a place here because they adapted to the climates of the islands. As for the Pokémon who they deem do not belong here… well, I would rather not say.”

“So, the Keala family has been saying the islands belong to Alolan Pokémon?”

“And that Alolan Pokémon belong nowhere else,” Keoni added.

“Motive!” Miu shouted, spooking several of them. “They’re totally responsible for the trafficking!”

“None of the traffickers were Alolans,” Shuichi chose to stop her before she could get started on her theory. “But, they did say they were paid to abduct the Pokémon. Mister Keoni, sir, I hate to accuse anyone without suitable evidence, but—”

“Your feelings of uncertainty are understandable, but not warranted,” Keoni interrupted him. “The Keala family have been very hostile in recent years, particularly towards the families, who they view have lost sight of the Alolan traditions. What have these traffickers been doing?”

“They abduct Alolan Pokémon from the mainland, from their trainers, and ship them here to the islands,” Kaito explained. “That’s how me, Shuichi, and this jerk,” he jabbed a thumb at Phantom, who attempted to bite him, “got here to the islands. We jumped on one of the ships, but the Aether Foundation saved us.”

“Ah!” Keoni smiled. “The Foundation has been an invaluable ally. So, these traffickers steal the Pokémon from their trainers and bring them back to the islands?”

“We didn’t know which island,” Shuichi admitted, “but based on what you’ve said, it may be Poni Island. Sir, do you think it’s possible the… Keala?...family is responsible for the abductions?”

“Maybe not in the past, but now I am not so sure. The family sends certain family members to communicate with others on the islands. No one has seen the entire family for years; you have to go to them. Who knows what they have devolved to in isolation and self-inflicted poisons?”

“Is it possible for us to go see them?” Rantaro inquired.

“Only if you are skilled trainers. Poni Island is difficult to traverse and full of powerful Pokémon. I would not recommend it if you have little experience with battles.” Shuichi felt himself deflate a little and exchanged worried glances with his friends. Some of the groups’ Pokémon also looked around. No doubt some of them were veteran battlers, like Rantaro’s Gallade or Tenko’s Pokémon, but most of them had little to no experience when it came to battles.

“What do you know of the Island Challenge?” Keoni suddenly asked. Angie let out an excited squeal, while everyone gave her an odd look. Obviously, this Island Challenge was something to be excited about, and Shuichi couldn’t help but wonder if it were something like a Pokémon Tournament.

“No sir,” Shuichi answered.

“The Island Challenge is a sacred rite of passage for young Pokémon trainers to prove their worth and strength. Trainers travel to each island and complete trials, earning special totems.” Keoni held up the string of wooden ornaments Lumine had snatched earlier. “Z-crystals. Poni Island, being the toughest island to traverse, is usually the last island the challengers visit, growing stronger as they navigate the other islands.”

“So, you’re saying we have to do the Island Challenge?” said Phantom. “That seems kinda complicated; can’t we just mob them?”

“You underestimate the size of the Keala family,” Keoni chided. “Unlike the other families, who spread out but meet up at their ancestral homes for traditional ceremonies, the Keala family stays together. You would be walking into a… fortress, of sorts, armed with people who have lived on the harshest of the islands their whole life. There are other perks to completing the Island Challenge. The Z-crystals are a source of elemental energy that allow your Pokémon to unleash powerful attacks. Z-crystals would be very useful if you are attempting to storm Poni Island.”

“Storm the island!” Phantom cheered.

“Wait, hold on!” Kaede interrupted. “If no one’s seen these people in years, we can’t just assume they’re responsible.”

“Then what do you want, _princess?_ ” Phantom sneered.

“Uh, how about some _evidence?_ ” Kaede snapped.

“How could we do that?” Himiko wondered. “They don’t leave the island and we can’t go unless we’re real Pokémon trainers.”

“I might know a way,” Makana spoke up. “It’s true the Keala family rarely leaves the island or speaks to others, but I know one being they speak to regularly: Tapu Fini.”

“The Guardian deity?” said Kiyo.

Makana nodded and stood up, holding her arms out so they could see her robes. “I am a priestess of Tapu Lele, Guardian deity of Akala Island. If I sequester myself into the Ruins of Life and pray to Tapu Lele, she may commune with Tapu Fini and bring me the answer. If the Keala family is responsible for your Pokémon being taken, Tapu Fini will know.”

 _We’re going to rely on these Pokémon— if they exist— to figure this out for us?_ He quickly caught himself and his doubts. After the Lunala incident, he had to remind himself to be more open-minded about the legends. _Even so, aren’t the deities loyal to the families? The deities embody the islands and the families protect them? Why would Tapu Fini betray the Keala family?_ Then again, he had initially thought Lunala would have been in favor of the traffickers returning Alolan Pokémon to the islands, but Angie claimed she must have viewed the traffickers as enemies. So, maybe Tapu Fini would betray the Keala family if she felt they were doing something wrong.

“Leilani,” said Makana, “I would love it if you accompanied me to the ruins. You know more about what’s going on than I do.”

Angie looked mystified about the offer. “But… I’m not a priestess. Mama, I know you wanted me to be a Tapu priestess, but—,”

“Tapu Lele judged you long ago,” Wikolia eased her daughter’s worries. “Just because you chose a different path does not mean you are any less worthy.”

And so, it was decided. Angie and Makana would journey to the Ruins of Life to speak with Tapu Lele and discover if the Keala family were the ones commanding the traffickers. Shuichi still felt hesitant in relying on Legendary Pokémon, especially ones he knew so little about, but he was trying to stay unbiased. If Angie had faith in this method, then he should try to have a little faith as well. Keoni and Wikolia seemed comfortable allowing their daughter and niece to stay the night holed up in some ancient ruins, so maybe Shuichi was stressing over nothing. Besides, if Makana was a Tapu priestess, there was a good chance she had done this before.

“You don’t need to help,” Makana said to Kirumi as they gathered everyone’s bowls.

“I do not mind; I prefer to remain busy,” Kirumi replied. “Besides, it would not feel right for us to remain here and not help in some way.”

Keoni had everyone collect their bags and led them to the back of the property. Unlike the front and sides of the square, which were formed by corner halls and a large room, the back of the square was a single, long hallway with a smaller hall splitting off in the middle. This smaller hall led into a sunroom full of comfortable, plush chairs and sofa, large windows all around the room letting in natural light. Outside the sunroom was a small patio and then the paths that led to the other, smaller buildings.

“Are these guest houses?” Shuichi asked Keoni, pointing to the buildings.

“They are now. These used to be where the other family lived, usually the children.”

“The children didn’t live in the main house?” Rantaro looked shocked by the concept.

“When they were young, yes. Once they were a little older, they moved out here. The spares are close enough the children can come to the house at any time, but also allow them a little freedom. That building right there,” he pointed to the building at the furthest point in the circle of spares, which was different from the other due to it having what looked like a covered eating area, “is a kitchen area for the spares; the bathroom is in there as well. And if it is raining, just walk along the roofed paths.”

“But still, the children lived out here?” said Shuichi.

“Leilani moved out here when she was five. Besides, it was normal for the old families to allow their children to live separately. It taught them independence and, I assure you, the children were well-guarded.”

“By the Guardian deities?”

“No.” Keoni suddenly whistled shrilly, the sound carrying through the air and fading. A bark responded, and a Pokémon came loping out of the trees. 

“You see,” Keoni continued, “each old family had a pack of Lycanroc and Rockruff that guarded their home grounds. They were tasked with protecting the home and the children. When every child was born, they were gifted a Rockruff who would act as their companion. If the Rockruff happened to die before the child did, some of their teeth were removed and crafted into a necklace for the child, so that their protector is always with them. Here is my protector,” he patted the head of his Dusk Lycanroc, who sat faithfully at his side.

“Shuichi, Lumine is your protector!” said Kaede.

“That is what I assumed as well,” said Keoni. “He is a fine Rockruff. Where did you get him?”

“A breeding program,” Shuichi answered. He didn’t feel like explaining Lumine’s true pedigree, and he wasn’t sure Keoni was familiar with the International Police and Detective Kirigiri.

“We have a lot of space, but you are such a large group. There are four spares, so please decide among yourselves who you are comfortable sharing a space with.”

Phantom darted into the nearest spare without a second thought. Kaito purposefully avoided the spare the smaller boy ran into, stating that spending two days locked up with Phantom had been enough. Rantaro and Gonta followed Phantom into the first spare, obviously not too bothered in sharing space with him. After a moment’s hesitation, Ryoma joined them as well. Angie excitedly pulled Himiko and Tsumugi in the direction of a specific spare, saying it was the one she spent her childhood in, Tenko running after them. Kaito and Shuichi stepped onto the porch and poked their heads into an empty spare, taking a good look around at their new living space. It almost looked like a hotel room; there were two beds and dressers, one on each side, and a large circular rug in the center.

“There’s two beds; how are we going to fit four people in here?” said Kaito.

“There’s plenty of floorspace. Two people are just going to have to sleep on the floor,” Shuichi responded. “If we participate in the Island Challenge, we’ll have to get used to camping, anyway.”

“I can sleep on the floor,” Kiyo offered, walking in behind them, Keebo entering with him and looking around. “I’ve done it plenty of times while conducting research.”

“I’ll sleep on the floor too!” said Kaito. “Keebo, Shuichi, you guys take the beds.”

“If we’re here for a while, we can trade,” Keebo suggested.

Shuichi set his duffel and messenger bags down on one of the beds and stepped out onto the porch. Keoni and his Lycanroc had vanished, presumably returning to the house. Between the spares on the other side of the circle, Shuichi could see the vast ocean. Even if he couldn’t see the water, he could taste the tinge of salt in the air. It was refreshing and cleared his head.

“This is like going to summer camp!” Kaede bounded out of the spare she was sharing with Maki, Miu, and Kirumi. “If we get some spare time, let’s explore the woods.”

“You’ll have spare time,” said Angie. She was standing on her porch, a faraway look in her eyes. “Makana and I are leaving for the ruins immediately; you’ll have the rest of today and maybe tomorrow to explore the area. Speaking of ruins, I need to get ready.”

“How do you prepare?” Kaede asked.

“I need to wear the ceremonial robes, and we need to pack food and water.”

Shuichi was never very spiritual, but he couldn’t imagine being locked up somewhere to pray. Well, he could somewhat imagine it after the two-day boat ride in the cargo hold, but that had been against his will. Angie and Makana were willingly going to the ruins and locking themselves in, not emerging until they had their answer— or whatever Tapu Lele was willing to give them. Despite never discussing it out loud, the group had unanimously agreed to accompany Angie and Makana to the ruins. For some, it was to see them off safely, while others were interested if they could catch a glimpse of the ruins.

Angie emerged from the house wearing similar robes to Makana’s, except Angie had chosen different accessories. It appeared the robes were a uniform of some sort, but they were allowed to accessorize as they pleased. Tsumugi marveled at the designs, asking what the cloth was and what inspired the designs.

“Where are the ruins?” Keebo asked. “They must be close if the family’s land is here.”

“It’s east of Konikoni,” Makana replied. “We exit Konikoni and follow the coast. The path will take us through Memorial Hill.”

“What’s Memorial Hill?” Kaito asked.

“The cemetery.”

“Cemetery?” Kaito tensed. Cemeteries were often breeding grounds for Ghost-type Pokémon and given there was a good chance this was a very old cemetery, Ghost-types would no doubt be lurking around.

“What? Are you scared?” Phantom teased.

“Wha— No way! I’m just… not used to walking through cemeteries,” Kaito sputtered.

“You should try; it’s fun.”

“I’m going to ignore that comment,” Kiyo growled lowly.

Wikolia stepped out the front door, accompanied by Keoni’s Dusk Lycanroc, who was now wearing some sort of caparison and chamfron outfit. Wikolia was holding a wooden totem of some sort. It almost looked like a toy top, with a rounded body and one pointed end, except she was holding it upside-down. Lycanroc held his head up and marched purposefully past the group. He made it halfway up the path before stopping and looking back.

“Lycanroc will lead the march,” Wikolia explained. 

“Is this a ceremonial thing?” Shuichi asked.

“In a way. Lycanroc, proceed.”

Lycanroc raised his head again and marched, Angie and Makana flanking him, with Wikolia behind them and carrying the totem. With no directions given to them, the others followed, trying to take up as little space by following in a somewhat single-file line. Their Pokémon looked delighted and must have mistook the procession for a parade. Some walked with quiet dignity, while others tried their best to copy and stumbled over their feet or the cobblestone road of Konikoni. Kiyo was scribbling in his notepad as they paraded through the city, citizens watching the group and respectfully stepping aside.

Shuichi couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscience. He didn’t feel like he belonged in the procession. There was obviously a lot of reverence for the Tapu priestesses and it felt awkward to be marching through a city. He was thankful once they passed through the arch and they were rid of the staring eyes and bowing heads. Besides, once they were walking along the coast, there was something more mystical about the procession. Something more natural.

“Uh,” Kaito suddenly stopped short. They had entered Memorial Hill, dozens of tombstones dotting a gentle slope from the mountain the Diglett Tunnel cut through. Honestly, it looked very peaceful; there was a gentle breeze blowing up from the water, rustling the leaves of the trees.

“What are these plants?” Gonta asked, pointing to some plants with large, wide leaves growing off a single woody trunk surrounding the perimeter of the cemetery. Some of the plants were taller than others, but most of them were about as tall as Shuichi. They were also different colors: some were green, while others were a purple-red color.

“Those are ti plants,” Wikolia answered.

“Tea?” 

“No, _ti_. They are believed to hold great spiritual power. They ward off evil spirits and invite good ones. You will also find them planted around the house to bring good luck. They had multiple uses in ancient Alola, such as crafting ceremonial leis, hula skirts, and necklaces. It is believed if you carry a ti leaf in your pocket, it will grant you good luck.”

“Score!” Miu tore away from the procession and ran up to a ti plant planted behind a tombstone.

“Don’t do that!” Wikolia ordered. “That ti plant belongs to the spirit in the grave.”

“Spirit in the grave,” Kaito whispered to himself, trembling lightly. A twig snapped somewhere and he shrieked, clinging to Maki, who blushed and struggled to get loose.

Miu trudged back to the group. Despite her almost “defacing” a spirit’s ti plant, Angie and Makana were giggling and didn’t seem offended. The procession continued, stepping lightly amongst the tombstones, Kaito maybe a little more than necessary. His eyes kept darting around, afraid to see a Ghost Pokémon pop up out of a grave. Phantom took advantage of this and started giving Kaito random pokes, snickering as he jumped and yelped, before Kirumi fell back and grabbed his hands.

“Wait.” Wikolia stopped the group, handing the totem to Angie and stepping out so she was standing in front. “Who are you?”

Curious, Shuichi walked out from the center of the group to see what, or who, had stopped them. Five individuals were standing on the path, blocking the way so none of the group could get past. Shuichi had never seen an odder bunch of individuals. Each were wearing clothes the same color as their hair, except each had half of their head dyed white. Given how different they all looked, he didn’t think they were related nor was the piebald hair genetic. The red individual stepped forward and crossed his arms, trying to appear intimidating even though he had little muscle-mass and was no taller than average.

“Rise and shine! With our powers combined—,”

“We are the Monokubs!” all five announced, striking poses.

“What the hell?” Maki proclaimed, eyeing the group of five.

“We’ve been told you’re seeking answers,” said the red one. 

“And who told you that?” Wikolia stated firmly. Lycanroc, apparently sensing her hostility, stepped forward and lowered his head, his mane bristling.

“We have our sources,” said the yellow one, adjusting his glasses. “What matters is the answers youse guys seek.”

“Then what answers are we seeking?” Kaede stepped forward, her voice tight and her muscles tensed. She was trying to appear stoic, but Shuichi could see the nervousness in her pose. They didn't know who these people were or what they were capable of.

“We don’t know!” the pink one, the only girl of the group, exclaimed cheerfully. The yellow one shushed her, and she stuck her tongue out at him in response.

“Whatever you’re looking for, you won’t find it here!” the blue one shouted. Shuichi flinched, oddly reminded of Nekomaru and his capacity to only speak at one volume: yelling.

“Who. Are. You?” Wikolia repeated more firmly, her earlier statement having gone ignored.

“The Monokubs,” the green one replied, speaking in a slow, jilted manner. He was staring at the ground, playing with his fingers.

“At your service: Monotaro, Monosuke, Monophanie, Monokid, and Monodam!” the red one, Monotaro, announced, pointing to each of them in turn. “The ruins are closed today!”

“The ruins can’t be closed,” Makana replied in a puzzled tone. Given how hostile Wikolia was being, and how confused Makana was, it could be inferred these “Monokubs” were strangers even to them, and were not connected to the ruins.

“Whaaaa!?” Monotaro squawked, looking to his companions for backup.

“You punkasses better turn right ‘round right now! Make like a tree and fuck off!” Monokid commanded. As if on cue, the five each threw a Pokéball in unison, releasing a Magmar, Poliwrath, Electabuzz, Aromatisse, and Gogoat. The Pokémon struck poses similar to their trainers and then assumed fighting stances. 

Wikolia gasped, looking around the cemetery. “You can’t fight here! This is sacred ground!”

“Oh, we’re sorry,” Monophanie responded, looking genuinely apologetic. “Where do you want us to fight?”

“No!” Monosuke interjected. “We’re not moving the fight!”

Wikolia recoiled and spun around to face the rest of the group. “Fighting will upset the spirits. We need to resolve the situation quickly and get these people to leave.”

“Well, they are outnumbered,” Ryoma pointed out. “Maybe we can use intimidation and make them run.”

The Monokubs were squabbling among themselves, trying to decide whether this was an appropriate place to fight. Their Pokémon had relaxed and were listlessly looking around. Something in their behavior implied this sort of fighting was common with their trainers and they were waiting for it to end.

“It’s not a fight if they don’t retaliate,” said Phantom. “Let’s intimidate.” Before anyone could stop him, he scooped up a rock and pitched it as hard as he could. The rock sailed through the air and struck Monotaro on the shoulder.

“Wha—?” The Monokubs stopped fighting and turned back to the procession. Gonta had grabbed Phantom after the smaller boy threw the rock, hugging him tightly so he couldn’t throw another.

“You wanna start somethin’!?” Monokid roared, only for another rock, this time thrown by Tenko, to peg him in the forehead.

“Stop throwing shit!” Monosuke demanded.

The Monokubs’ Pokémon assumed their fighting poses again, only to falter when the group’s Pokémon shielded their trainers. Now, finally realizing they were outnumbered, the Monokubs’ resolve failed them. However, they couldn’t flee since the procession was in their way. Wishing to save face, they tried to pretend they were no longer interested in the fight, but the obvious trembling told a different story.

“This is boring,” said Monokid. “Fine, we’ll leave.”

“But know this,” Monosuke cut in, “youse won’t find what you’re looking for.”

 _What did he mean by that?_ Shuichi wondered. The Monokubs and their Pokémon skirted the bottom of the cliff to put as much distance between them and the group. Once they were past, the Monokubs ran off, not even taking care to avoid stepping on the graves, inciting some gasps from Wikolia. Monokid skidded to a halt and turned to make an obscene gesture back at the group.

“Gardevoir, use Moonblast,” Kirumi ordered, her eye twitching in irritation. Monokid yelped and sprinted away before Gardevoir could raise her arms.

“Didn’t know the circus was in town,” Maki griped.

“They weren’t very gentlemanly,” said Gonta.

“One of them was a girl, idiot,” Tenko snapped.

“I have never seen those people before,” said Wikolia. “I will have to alert the family to keep an eye out for them. We can’t have criminals destroying the cemetery and the ruins.” Suddenly she gasped, “The ruins! What if they’ve done something to the ruins!?”

The ceremonial procession was forgotten as everyone darted forward. All semblance of tradition and cultural significance was lost in their haste to ensure the Monokubs had not defaced the ruins. A collective sigh of relief was exhaled as an opening into the rock face came into view with no apparent sign of damage. The opening was bordered by strong boughs of wood painted pink, the same color as Angie and Makana’s robes. Shuichi assumed the color was related to Tapu Lele somehow since he was seeing it on everything related to her.

“Thank goodness,” said Wikolia, taking the wooden totem back from Angie and placing it on a small stone dish in the middle of the clearing in front of the entrance to the ruins.

“But what about inside the ruins?” Kiyo suggested. “You said the ruins can’t be closed, so they might have been able to get inside.”

“If Tapu Lele did not want them to enter, they could not go inside,” Makana answered, assuming a praying position. “This is where we leave you.”

“Are you really going to isolate yourselves in there?” Kaede asked. “How long does this typically take?”

“It can vary, but we brought enough food and water for three days at the most.”

 _Three days!?_ Shuichi thought. It was must take a lot of dedication to be a Tapu priestess if Makana was fine with being locked in some ruins for days just to pray to a Pokémon. But, if this worked, they would have their answer of where to find Nebby and Mosaic, so Shuichi decided to trust their judgement. Neither Makana nor Angie looked scared, so maybe there was nothing to fear.

“Good luck,” Kaede bid the girls farewell. “Or should I say ‘break a leg?’ Is this similar to a stage performance, where it’s bad luck to say ‘good luck?’”

“We receive your blessing,” Angie stated to quell her worries about accidently delivering bad luck onto her and her cousin. “ _Alola_ , see you in a couple days— maybe, or sooner!” 

Angie and Makana waved goodbye and vanished into the darkness within the ruins. Angie’s Pokémon looked sad to see their trainer go, but thankfully didn’t try to follow. Now there was nothing more the others could do. Until Angie and Makana reemerged from the ruins, they couldn’t go anywhere. So, until then, they had Konikoni and the surrounding area as their playground— at least, that’s what Phantom said. But, for now, Shuichi didn’t feel like exploring. Maybe after an hour or so to himself. He’d been constantly around others for more than three days now; he needed some alone time.

“I thought ‘ _Alola_ ’ meant ‘hello?’” said Tenko.

“It can mean ‘goodbye’ too,” said Kaito.

“ _Alola_ means a lot more than just hello and goodbye,” Wikolia interjected. “ _Alola_ is an expression of countless emotions that defy definition; it is the spirit of the land. As you explore the islands, you’ll learn the true meaning of _Alola_.”

*

Shuichi walked under the arch that formed the entrance to Konikoni City, Lumine and Scout trotting beside him. He had ended up taking a short nap back at the Kamaka family’s hose. When he had woken, some of his friends were hanging around the property and the forest, but, apparently, most had gone to the small beach at the bottom of the slope leading out from the Diglett Tunnel. Given the beach wasn’t nearly as large as Heahea Beach had been, he was curious as to what activities they could do down there. He received his answer the second he stepped onto the sand.

“Help!” Keebo yelped as he fell off the Mantine, creating a decent splash.

There was a surfer at the small beach, so Shuichi assumed the pod of Mantine his friends were playing with belonged to her. She was trying to help them stand on the Mantines’ backs, but only a few of them had succeeded.

“Shuichi!” Kaede waved at him. “You’re wearing your swimming trunks; come join us! We’re Mantine Surfing!”

“Or at least trying,” said Maki. She was sitting on the back of Rantaro’s Lapras with Himiko.

Rantaro and Phantom had managed to stand on their Mantine but didn’t look confident in trying to have the Pokémon move. For now, the two awkwardly stood there, bobbing on the waves, an occasional strong wave almost toppling them and forcing them to right themselves. Kaede was kneeling on her Mantine, while Tenko and Kaito were sitting on theirs. There were also some Mantyke flitting about, jumping over people’s heads and splashing them.

“We probably won’t be here long enough to learn,” Shuichi commented, but stepped into the water anyway. “And aren’t they supposed to be wearing harnesses?”

“It’s a useful skill though,” Rantaro replied. “You don’t need to learn how to do any of the tricks. The last time you were on Lapras’ back, you clung to her shell like she was going to throw you off. Just try sitting for now; you don’t need a harness for that.”

“I intend to traverse the waters on a boat… when the time comes.” Despite his comment, Shuichi walked deeper into the water until it reached his waist, coming to a stop beside a rider-less Mantine. He clambered onto the Mantine’s back, involuntarily grabbing the poor Pokémon’s antenna. After a quick apology, he shifted to his knees and tried to stand, only to wobble to one side and splash into the water. He surfaced, only to shriek when he felt something grab his foot. Kaito laughed as he broke the surface of the water, prompting Shuichi to slap some water at him. The Mantine dived and rose up under Shuichi. 

_This is fun,_ Shuichi admitted. _Rantaro’s right. What if I fall off the boat? Being able to ride on a Pokémon’s back would be a useful skill, especially considering we’re on a bunch of islands in the middle of the ocean._

For the first time since jumping on that ship, Shuichi felt himself completely relax. He had felt some moments of calm, like when he thought Mosaic was safe at Aether Paradise, but here, on the water with his friends, it almost seemed like nothing else mattered. He felt happy and confident about what was to come. Lumine and Scout were digging in the sand and unearthed a Pyukumuku, which they chased into the water. Shuichi and his Pokémon weren’t experienced battlers, but with his friends by his side, there was nothing these islands could throw at them they couldn’t overcome. Maybe Mosaic, once he was found, would enjoy splashing in the water too.

*

“Wake up!” Shuichi roused to the waking world through a pillow to the face. He shot up in his bed, his sudden movement shoving Phantom to the floor.

“What are you doing!?” Shuichi snapped. “Why are you in this spare? You sleep in a different one.”

“Kirumi asked someone to wake you up and I volunteered before anyone else could. It’s breakfast time, by the way.” Phantom scrambled up from the floor and raced out of the spare, not bothering to shut the door behind him.

Shuichi groaned and rubbed his eyes. He was alone in the spare, which meant Kaito, Kiyo, and Keebo had already awakened and started the day, and probably took Lumine and Scout with them. Kaede might scold him for being lazy, but Shuichi almost wanted to lay back down and catch a few more precious minutes of sleep. But, if he did that, Phantom might be sent back in to wake him. With another groan, Shuichi pushed his blankets off and pushed himself to his feet. 

Living in the spares was sort of like a summer camp, like Kaede had compared it to the day before. Shuichi plodded to the kitchen/bathroom building and was surprised to find it empty. Phantom had said everyone was at breakfast, so that could only mean they were eating at the house. Since the bathroom was empty, he took care of his business and returned to his spare to change. He could hear his friends’ voices from the spare, most likely from the courtyard in the center of the house. Shuichi had poked his head into the dining room last night. It looked too extravagant for the group to eat in, like how he felt eating at Kirumi’s family’s restaurant, so he was fine with eating in the courtyard. The weather was nice, the air was warm; they didn’t need to eat indoors.

“Well, look who’s up,” Kaede teased as Shuichi finally made his way to the kitchen. “Saved a seat for you,” she gestured to an empty chair at the small table.

“Thanks.” Shuichi nearly collapsed into the seat.

“Oh, come on, you can’t still be tired after sleeping until almost ten in the morning.”

“What? Really?” Shuichi looked around for a clock and spied one high up on the wall. Just like Kaede said, he had slept into the late hours of the morning. “How long has everyone been having breakfast?”

“Most of us ate already; we’re just socializing now. There’s plenty of fruit,” she offered.

Shuichi stood back up and zeroed in on a bowl of fruit sitting on the counter. He felt uncomfortable using someone’s kitchen without their permission, and since he overslept while everyone else ate, he was stuck with fruit for breakfast. He grabbed a berry and turned to step away from the counter, only to almost run into a little boy standing behind him.

“Oh! I’m sorry! Are you one of Angie’s cousins?” The boy didn’t reply; he just stared at Shuichi, a familiar glint of mischief in his eye. 

“Stop that!” Kaede scolded, coming up behind the boy, grabbing him by the shoulder, and reaching for the seat of his pants. The child suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing Jester the Zorua. Jester grinned and bounded away, leaving Shuichi to process what just happened.

“He’s been doing that all morning,” Kaede explained. “I forgot Zorua are illusionists. Strange how his tail is always there no matter what, though.”

There was a roar of laughter from the other side of the sliding door. Kaede opened the door and stepped through, inviting Shuichi to join. Like he had guessed, everyone was in the courtyard. Keoni was in the middle of telling some story about a time he went surfing as a teenager and was knocked off his board by a Magikarp leaping up and smacking him in the face. His Lycanroc was lying at his feet, Lumine tugging at the patient wolf Pokémon’s ear.

“Can I ask you something?” said Miu. “If you’re from the Kama-whatever family, how come your last name is Yonaga? And how come you call Angie ‘Leilani?’”

“Surnames did not exist in ancient Alola,” Keoni explained. “One usually introduced themselves as the offspring of their parent or belonging to one of the old families. Most surnames you see today are the result of establishing surnames from a patriarch’s name, or from others with surnames marrying into the family. As for Leilani, children can have multiple names throughout their youth. There was a tradition of renaming a child something repulsive if they fell ill, to ward off evil spirits. A child’s name was never absolute. It is not a common tradition now, but it appears ‘Angie’ is the name she chose for herself for you to know her as.”

“But Leilani is her birth name?” said Shuichi.

“It is the name we gave her and the one we know her by, but she chose a different one for herself.”

“I hope they’re doing okay,” Keebo remarked.

“Don’t worry about that; we have other things to worry about,” said a new voice.

Shuichi nearly leaped out of his skin. Everyone turned to the sliding door that connected with the sitting room to see Angie and Makana were standing there, grim looks on both their faces. Angie had three strange stones cradled in her arms, the sight of which caused Keoni to jump to his feet, while Makana carried the wooden totem.

“Are those—?”

“Yes,” Angie replied. “Tapu Lele came to us in desperation. She showed us many things, but, most importantly, she showed us Tapu Fini’s sorrow. The Keala family have turned their backs on the harmony of the islands. There’s no doubting it: the Keala family is responsible for the trafficking.”

“Did Tapu Lele tell you if they have Nebby and Mosaic?” Kaito eagerly asked.

“No,” Angie shook her head. “But she gave me these,” she held out the stones, “which means we have earned her favor and she fears we have a dangerous road to travel.”

“What are they?” Shuichi approached to look at the stones, but Keoni took them from his daughter before Shuichi could see them.

“Did she specify who was to receive these?” he asked, his expression so serious Shuichi began to feel dread building in the pit of his stomach. 

“I believe it is your judgement, Kahuna,” said Makana.

Keoni nodded and held up one of the stones. He turned it to investigate every side, the stone sparkling in the sunlight. Shuichi suddenly felt mesmerized by the stone. Somehow, he could feel there was a power emanating from within. No… not power… _potential_. Whatever these stones were, there was a great importance to them.

“Tomorrow,” Keoni’s voice shook Shuichi from his trance, “we will see which among you is strong enough to wield the power of the Z-crystals.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there’s meat in the saimin, but I like to think there’s regular animals in the Pokémon world, just not as common. They’ve been hinted at in the games and anime.  
> Rockruff is partially based off the extinct Hawaiin poi dog. The whole “children being gifted a puppy at birth” thing really did happen. If the dog died before the child, they made the tooth necklace. If the child died, then the dog was killed and buried with them, but I decided to leave that part out.


	11. Trial by Fire and Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Island Challenge begins with a battle for the Tapu’s blessing: the Z-rings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Swablu (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse  
> Monokid: Poliwrath  
> Monodam: Gogoat  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 11: Trial by Fire and Stone

For no reason he could understand, Shuichi awoke and shot upright in his bed. His heart was racing, but he wasn’t sweating or hyperventilating. He looked around the spare, but his roommates and the Pokémon were still fast asleep. Kiyo’s Litwick’s flame was still lit, although at a lower flame, and, at first, he thought it was responsible for the light illuminating the spare, but he soon realized that wasn’t true. The spare wasn’t illuminated, only his bed was. Shuichi turned his head to the window, discovering a shaft of moonlight was shining directly onto him.

_Lunala?_ Shuichi pushed his blankets down and stood up from his bed. He walked carefully to the door, taking care to avoid stepping on Kiyo or Kaito, who were still fast asleep. He opened the door only enough to slip through, shutting it behind him. Despite it being the middle of the night, it was still comfortably warm. Shuichi stepped off the porch, the grass cool and smooth on his bare feet. He walked to the center of the circle formed by the spares and looked up. The moon was full tonight and shining down was an intensity he had only seen once: on the night of the sinking ship, the ship Lunala attacked.

“Lunala?” Shuichi whispered. Why did he care if he saw the Pokémon? Did he want some sort of recognition from the beast that calls forth the moon?

“Shuichi?” He jumped when he heard another voice answer him. Angie was standing in the covered eating area of the kitchen building, hugging herself and pulling her bathroom robe tighter. 

“Angie? What are you doing up?”

“Using the bathroom. Why are you up?”

“I… thought I heard something.”

“It might have been me,” she shrugged. “I accidently let the door slam when I was done. Or…” she grinned at him, “you heard the calling. The islands choose the worthy ones in strange ways. The moon is bright tonight.”

“I thought…” he trailed off, purposefully looking away from her. “I thought the bright moon meant Lunala was close by, sort of like on the night of the sinking ship.”

“I’ve made a believer out of you!” she cheered.

“Be quiet!” he shushed her. “Everyone is still asleep.” She quieted but continued to giggle to herself. Shuichi groaned and looked around the clearing. It was almost bright and clear with the full moon illuminating the area. He couldn’t imagine what the area was like during the rainy season when clouds covered the skies all day and night. It must have been scary for a young child to need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night while it was dark. Then again, they did have a pack of Lycanroc and Rockruff guarding them, including a partner Rockruff.

“Hey Angie, can I ask you something?”

“Yes-yes? What is it?”

“Your father told us the children of the families were given Rockruff at birth. Did you ever have a Rockruff?”

Angie still smiled, but it was clearly tight-lipped. Shuichi regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth and he almost told her to forget it, but she reached into her shirt and pulled out a necklace, holding it out for him to see. He stepped closer and saw sharp teeth were strung onto the string, gently touching one of the fangs.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know why he was apologizing. Was he sorry for asking, or was he offering sympathy for her dead Pokémon? “How… how did they die?”

“She drowned,” Angie replied bluntly, stuffing the necklace back down her shirt. “I was, maybe, five or six years old. I was standing on the edge of the cliff over there,” she pointed past the spares to the edge. “The water meets the foot of the cliff; there’s no beach. The edge fell away and I went into the water. She jumped after me without a second thought.”

“She jumped into the water?” he said, amazed. Elemental types weak to water could stand small amounts, especially since water-based attacks were imbued with the attacking Pokémon’s energy. It was the same reason types weak to grass could walk on grass and not be harmed. So, while the Rockruff could have jumped into the water and not been harmed at first, but it would eventually take its toll.

“Yes, she swam with me until I was able to grab some floating debris. I don’t know how long we were swimming for, but it was too much for her. Once she knew I was safe, she gave up. A pod of Mantine rescued me and brought her body back.”

Angie suddenly reached out and firmly grabbed his hand. She led him to the forest, following a dirt path that looked like it was barely visible even during the day. The shafts of moonlight streamed through the trees, casting isolated pools of silver. It took Shuichi a second to realize, but they were suddenly walking into a patch of ti plants, just like on Memorial Hill. At first, he assumed these were the ti plants that circled the property, but then saw a tombstone with multiple plants around it.

“This is where she’s buried?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you ever miss her?”

“Yes, but that’s okay. She’s always with me.” Angie patted the front of her shirt, then reached out and pulled one of the smaller leaves from the ti. “Here, she’ll bring you good luck.”

*

Shuichi didn’t know what to expect the next morning, but a crowd of Alolans already waiting for him and his friends in the courtyard was not one of them. Given Angie’s delighted reaction, this was the rest of the Kamaka family, returning to their ancestral home.

“ _Alola kakahiaka_ ,” Keoni greeted, “you may be wondering why you have been summoned.” He had a booming voice when he wanted to be heard, speaking over the din of the small crowd. “My daughter and niece entered the Ruins of Life to speak with Tapu Lele. Our Tapu has given us grave news concerning the Keala family’s recent behavior. She has gifted us three Sparkling Stones to create three Z-rings, for three of you,” he directed the last statement to Shuichi and his friends.

“Z-rings?” said Kiyo. “To unleash the power of Z-Crystals?”

“How will we pick which three get the rings?” asked Phantom as he fiddled with his Mega bracelet.

“Tapu Lele judged that three were worthy, but it is my judgement to find which three,” said Keoni. “When embarking on the Island Challenge, trainers collect Z-Crystals from trial grounds. Once they have collected the crystals of the island, they challenge the Kahuna. I am the Kahuna of Akala Island.”

“ _A ‘o ia!_ ” the family suddenly shouted. 

“So, you’re going to pick?” said Kaede.

“Normally, the Kahuna is the last challenge of each island, but this is a special case. I have three Pokémon and will use each one in a separate battle against three of you. The prize? The Z-rings.”

It was awkwardly silent after his voice faded. Shuichi and his friends exchanged glances between them. There were sixteen of them and only three Z-rings, but, to get a Z-ring, they had to win a battle against a Kahuna. Tenko looked excited, as did Kaito, but the number of his friends who looked unsure outnumbered the ones rearing for a fight. The Kamaka family were silent, but almost appeared to be scrutinizing the newcomers, trying to find who they viewed as worthy of a gift from the Tapu.

Kirumi stood up, everyone turning to look at her. “I would like to recommend Kaito and Shuichi as challengers. We are here seeking their Pokémon; I feel it is appropriate.”

“Wha—? Me? Battle?” Shuichi spluttered. 

“Come on, you pansy!” Tenko scolded. “You’ve been training at the dojo! You’re ready! Now, who’s the third?”

“I’ll give it a shot,” Kaede volunteered.

“Shuichi, Kaito, and Kaede. Let us meet out front,” Keoni directed.

“Is there not a single place for a Kahuna battle, or is it tradiotnally done on the old families’ properties?” Shuichi asked Angie as the throng of people went through multiple exits to reach the front, including going through the sunroom and running around the house.

“No, the Kahuna fights are trainer battles and they are fought where it is convenient.”

Based on the whoops, cheers, and excitement coursing through the family members, one would have believed this was a League Tournament. But, given the Alola Region did not yet have an established Pokémon League, perhaps it was similar. Especially since there must be four Kahunas, one to each island, so was it the same as the Elite Four? If that were so, this was a strange way to start an Island Challenge.

Everyone who wasn’t participating backed away, with many hanging out under the protection of the lanai. Kaede, Shuichi, and Kaito stepped forward until they stood in front of Keoni, their Pokémon crowding around them. Behind Keoni were three Pokémon: Dusk Lycanroc, Sudowoodo, and Gigalith. Shuichi eyed the three Pokémon. All three were Rock-types, an elemental type known for strong defenses, but low speed, except for Lycanroc. He only had Lumine and Scout, who mostly knew Normal-type moves, but did know some Dark-type moves, which would be more effective against a Rock-type.

“Choose your challenger,” Keoni instructed.

“Gigalith!” Kaito immediately chose. 

Of the three of them, Kaito had the most battle experience, but that still wasn’t saying much. Nevertheless, Shuichi knew Luna and Sol could use Gyro Ball, which was a Steel-type attack and super-effective against Rock-types.

“Shuichi,” Kaede whispered, “Sudowoodo or Lycanroc?”

“I…uh. I’m not sure.”

“Well, I’m ready to go. How about I start my fight while you two pick your challengers?” Kaito suggested.

“Very well,” said Keoni. “One-on-one battle. Choose your Pokémon.”

Kaito looked to his Pokémon, the four of them gravitating around him on instinct. Surprisingly, Kaito appeared to be thinking deeply about which to use. He usually wasn’t one for planning out every step of action, but this obviously meant a lot to him.

“Luna, my girl, you’re up,” he picked. 

Shuichi and Kaede backed away from the battlefield, Kaito’s remaining Pokémon joining them. Maki held Nova in her arms, while Phantom jumped up and grab Sol’s side protrusions, swinging his legs back and forth as Sol floated up and down as if he didn’t have a body hanging from him.

“Try not to embarrass yourself!” Phantom shouted.

“Shut up!” Kaito shouted back over his shoulder. “Try to think positive!”

“You can do it, Kaito!” Gonta cheered, prompting the rest of their friends to cheer Kaito on in their own ways.

Keoni’s Gigalith creeped into the space designated as a fighting ground, Luna floating across from it. Wikolia stepped forward and raised a hand, looking between Keoni and Kaito, before dropping her arm, signaling the battle to begin.

“Luna, use Cosmic Power!” Kaito ordered.

Luna’s body glowed brightly as she absorbed energy and raised her defense. Gigalith brought its legs close to its body, its rocky skin shimmering for a second.

 _Iron Defense?_ Shuichi watched attentively, trying to decipher Keoni’s battling strategies. He had to pick between fighting a Sudowoodo or Lycanroc by the time this fight was over, and he needed to be careful about his choice since neither of his Pokémon had any super-effective attacks. Lumine and Scout were also watching, barely moving as the battle unfolded.

“Use Rock Blast!” Keoni commanded. Gigalith launched a couple fist-sized rocks towards Luna.

“Psychic!” Kaito countered. 

The rocks stopped in midair before dropping to the ground. Gigalith let out a grating groan as a light shimmer covered its body and it was partially lifted into the air. Its weight proved to be too much though, so Luna settled for compressing Gigalith’s body. Gigalith growled lowly and stretched its legs out, breaking through Luna’s psychic shell and landing on its feet.

“Smack Down!” Keoni ordered.

Gigalith hurled a stone, striking Luna and dropping her into the dirt. Despite its great size, the Gigalith moved much faster than Shuichi expected. It made it to Luna’s side before she could collect herself, raising one of its legs to stomp down on her. With a squeal that almost sounded like a gasp, Luna took advantage of her curved body and rolled backward before it could crush her. She went skipping across the ground before floating back into the air.

“Use Psywave!” said Kaito.

“Psywave?” said Rantaro. “Wouldn’t he be better off using non-varying moves? There’s no guarantee it will land a strong hit.”

The psychic waves struck Gigalith, who barely reacted, suggesting the hit wasn’t a strong one. It brushed the attack off and dug its legs into the dirt.

“Flash Cannon,” Keoni directed.

“F-Flash Cannon!?” Kaito stammered. Flash Cannon was a Steel-type attack and would be super-effective against Luna. “U-uh— Lune, use Gyro Ball!”

“He’s panicking,” Maki noted. “Gyro Ball is more powerful if the user is slower than the target. Luna’s much faster than that walking geode.”

Not only that, but Luna’s spinning body was on a direct path with the Flash Cannon. Shuichi held his breath as the two made contact and, for a brief second, seemed to float in midair before Luna’s kinetic energy overcame the Flash Cannon. She broke through and slammed into Gigalith’s head, knocking the Pokémon back. The attack was not without its consequences; Luna looked worse for wear as she backed away, lest Gigalith still had some fighting spirit. But it looked like it was over.

Gigalith didn’t get back up.

“Gigalith is unable to battle. The winner is Kaito!” Wikolia announced. The Kamaka family all clapped their hands in unison and let out a whoop. “Next challenger!”

“Shuichi?” Kaede’s voice shook him from his reverie. “Are you okay if I go?”

“Sure,” he replied.

Kaede stood up to take Kaito’s place on the battlefield while the latter returned to the lanai. He collapsed on the edge of the flooring, his head in his hands.

“Kaito?” Shuichi placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“That wasn’t skill; it was luck,” Kaito muttered. “I need a lot more practice if I’m going to be any help taking on the Keala family. I can’t rely on a lucky strike.”

Maki let out a long sigh. “You did fine. Strategy is key, but never regard luck as a sign of lacking skill.”

Kaito’s fight was shorter than Kaede thought it would be. She had run through her Pokémon, their types, and their attacks several times. She couldn’t use Cloud because he was a Flying-type, weak against Rock. She had never used Spooky in battle, and the Mimikyu didn’t express any interest in fighting. Alba was her powerhouse, the strongest of her Pokémon, and Fairy-type attacks would have a normal amount of damage against Rock-types. Then, there was Cy, who was looking up at her with hope in his large, lilac eyes. She wracked her brain to think about what moves the Lycanroc and Sudowoodo might know. Whichever she picked, the other would be Shuichi’s challenger. 

“I… uh… I pick Sudowoodo,” she decided. “And I’ll fight with… Cy.”

The little Espurr stepped forward into the battlefield, standing across from the Sudowoodo, who was immobile once it took its stance. Kaede had forgotten about Sudowoodo’s tendency to resemble a tree by not moving. She was already thinking of methods to take advantage of this factor. Cy wasn’t very quick, but he would definitely be quicker than Sudowoodo, and he had mostly special attacks than didn’t require him to get close.

Wikolia stepped between the Pokémon and raised her hand again, dropping it to begin the fight. Neither Pokémon moved for a while. Kaede didn’t want to send Cy near Sudowoodo, and the latter didn’t want to move. 

_Okay, we need to move this along._ Kaede shuddered nervously.

“Cy, use Psybeam!”

Cy lifted his ears and a ray of faint rainbow coloration shot from his gaze, hitting Sudowoodo hard enough the tree-like Pokémon dropped its façade and stumbled back. 

Keoni’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Rock Throw.”

Sudowoodo flung its arms in front of itself, summoning small rocks to sail through the air right at Cy. Kaede ran through every battle-based trivia she knew. Was Rock Throw special-type or physical move? 

“Cy, make a Light Screen!” she took a shot in the dark. A shimmering, yellow shield appeared in front of the Cy, but the rocks passed through, striking the poor Espurr.

 _Shoot! Rock Throw’s a physical attack! I just let Cy get hit!_ But she knew she couldn’t dwell on the matter in the middle of a battle. She had to act fast and smart. Like Kaito had sulked about, she couldn’t rely on a stroke of luck to win this battle. 

_Okay, Light Screen protects against special attacks, and I’m guessing most of Sudowoodo’s attacks are physical. Light Screen won’t help; I need to try to keep Cy at a distance._

“Sucker Punch!” Keoni had much more battling experience and didn’t need to go through a step-by-step mental list to plan his next move.

“Cy!” Kaede involuntarily shouted. 

Cy cried out as Sudowoodo dashed forward, ready to strike him with its horn. But, because Cy wasn’t readying an attack, he had enough time to see the strike coming. With barely a second to spare, he leapt clear of Sudowoodo, who slid to a halt after missing. 

“Disarming Voice!” Kaede ordered on instinct. Cy opened his mouth, a sound wave erupting from within and hitting Sudowoodo, who reeled and held its arms up in defense.

 _You’d think it wouldn’t matter where Cy hits. Some Pokémon have weak spots; does Sudowoodo?_ Or, maybe not a weak spot, but just somewhere on its body that was more sensitive than other places. Hitting in the face made sense since Sudowoodo would need to see, but she had a feeling that wasn’t the right thought. 

“Rock Slide!” Sudowoodo gave a spin, throwing its arms and unleashing a rain of large rocks. Cy shrieked and ran for it, dodging falling rocks.

 _Get your head in the game!_ Kaede mentally scolded herself. A single rock managed to hit Cy, sending him sprawling into the dirt. _No!_

Cy struggled to his feet, gingerly touching the tuft of hair on his forehead.

_Wait._

“Cy, use Psybeam again! Aim for its horn!”

Lilac eyes lit up with realization. Sudowoodo must have realized the plan of attack as well, as it covered its head with its arms. Cy ran forward on all fours. Sudowoodo instinctively struck out with a Low Kick, but as a Fighting move, it had little effect. Cy jumped on its leg just in time for Sudowoodo to throw him into the air. And with a single, well-aimed Psybeam to the horn, Sudowoodo fell back, a puff of dust accompanying its downfall.

“Sudowoodo is unable to battle. The winner is Kaede!” said Wikolia, inciting another harmonious cheer from the family.

Kaede shakily exhaled, gathering Cy into her arms. She was going to need to get over these jitters if more battles were in their futures. She made eye contact with Shuichi as she walked back to the lanai, but his face was expressionless. Despite Shuichi’s lack of battling experience and his own anxiety, he was more familiar with the situations that required a fight, so she felt he could overcome the apprehension. He understood the importance of subduing criminals, so he must understand the importance of Pokémon battles.

“Break a leg,” she whispered to him as they passed each other.

“Thanks,” he whispered back, taking her place on the battlefield with Lumine by his side.

“Lycanroc versus Rockruff,” said Korekiyo. “How appropriate.”

“Show ‘em what you’ve got, Shuichi and Lumine!” Kaito cheered.

For the last time, Wikolia waved to begin the match, but, this time, she gave Shuichi an encouraging wink as she turned and walked off the field. Lumine stalked forward, keeping his head low, while Lycanroc stood with a serene expression, unbothered by his prevolution challenging him. That behavior was enough to stab Shuichi in the gut. If Lycanroc was unbothered by the prospective fight, then he must have the confidence to win. 

_No, don’t doubt yourself! What would Kaede think!?_

“Come one, Shuichi!” Angie pulled her tooth necklace out of her shirt and gently waved it back and forth.

“Lumine, use Bite!” Shuichi directed.

Lumine launched himself forward, his sudden movement causing Lycanroc to flinch. The wolf Pokémon stiffened as Lumine came into range and latched onto one of his front legs, growling in an attempt to appear intimidating.

“Use Counter,” Keoni instructed.

Lycanroc reared onto his hind legs, shaking Lumine loose. The Rockruff landed on his feet but didn’t have enough time to move as Lycanroc brought his front paws down on Lumine’s head, pushing him into the ground. Shuichi winced sympathetically, but, thankfully, Lumine pushed with his feet and managed to shove Lycanroc off. Lumine ran away to put some distance between him and his opponent.

_Alright, let’s put some of that training to good use._

“Lumine, use Double Team!”

Suddenly, there were multiple copies of Lumine surrounding Lycanroc, who observed the illusion with sharp green eyes. Unable to determine which was actually Lumine, he instead tensed his muscles in preparation for an attack. 

“Lycanroc, use Odor Sleuth!” Keoni ordered.

Lycanroc shut his eyes and sniffed the air, trying to pinpoint which copy was the real Lumine. His head snapped to his left, eyeing one specific copy.

“Lumine! Snarl!”

Each copy opened its mouth, causing Lycanroc to briefly doubt he had chosen the correct copy, but the attack came from the same direction. Since Lycanroc had doubted, he had turned away from the correct Lumine and the attack took him by surprise. Lycanroc growled in retaliation and used Stone Edge, large pointed stones erupting from the ground and slamming into the battlefield. When the dust cleared, all the copies of Lumine were gone, including the real one. Keoni, Lycanroc, and Shuichi looked around, trying to figure out where the Rockruff had disappeared to. Shuichi focused on what looked like a ripped-up patch of sod, but the minute twitches told a different story and… glowing? Shuichi glanced to the lanai and saw Scout was rhythmically waving his tail back and forth, the lightest glow of energy shimmering in his fur. 

“Scout! Stop using Helping Hand! That’s cheating!” he reprimanded his Eevee. “This is a one-on-one battle!”

Lumine had received a small powerup from Scout’s Helping Hand. In a flurry of activity, Lumine jumped up and dashed at Lycanroc, catching his evolution by surprise. Lumine leapt and latched onto Lycanroc’s neck, biting down firmly. The wolf Pokémon howled and reared on his hind legs, swinging his head around trying to shake Lumine off. He finally succeeded, sending the puppy Pokémon flying. Lumine twisted in the air and landed on his feet, baring his teeth.

“Use Howl!” Shuichi ordered. 

Lumine threw his head back and howled, his fur lighting up with energy. He stamped one foot and glared at Lycanroc, who stared back with a calm expression, but the tightening of his jaw betrayed his unease. 

“Lycanroc, use Brick Break!”

 _Brick Break’s a Fighting-type move; it’ll be super-effective._ Shuichi had to act fast. None of Lumine’s attacks would be super-effective and he didn’t have a defensive move that would reduce the damage. 

_But maybe I can slow him down._

“Use Rock Tomb!”

Lumine stomped down on the ground, loosening one of the rocks from Lycanroc’s Rock Slide. He heaved it into the air, leapt after it, and pushed it with his feet, sending it flying toward Lycanroc. Lycanroc connected his head with the rock, attempting to break it or knock it away, but Lumine’s strength had been enhanced too much. There was a sickening crack as the rock broke in two and fell on either side of Lycanroc’s prone form, the impact having knocked him out.

“Lycanroc is unable to battle. The winner is Shuichi!” Wikolia announced, but she was barely heard over the cheers of the Kamaka family and Shuichi’s friends.

“I… I won?” Shuichi whispered, taken aback by the sudden ending of the battle. “I won. I won!” He raced onto the field and grabbed Lumine, swinging him around in joy.

“Good fight,” Keoni congratulated the Shuichi and Lumine. “He might not be the strongest, but he has the strongest will.” The Kahuna gave Lumine’s head a pat and turned to the people waiting on the lanai.

The Kamaka family was repeatedly chanting their cheer from earlier and rhythmically stomping their feet. Shuichi’s friends left the lanai to meet him in the middle of the field. Luna, Lumine, and Cy were praised and the three reveled in the attention despite their obvious tiredness. 

“Here,” Wikolia approached the trainers and offered three Potions. “We must speak with the family. Why don’t all of you head inside?”

“What do you think they’re talking about?” said Phantom, claiming the decorative boulder in the courtyard as his perch. “Maybe it’s a plot to assault Poni Island, like the Charge of the Light Brigade.” His enthusiasm died down a little. “’Course, that ended badly.”

Shuichi hummed noncommittedly, having learned to tune the other boy out. He returned Lumine to his Pokéball and pressed the nozzle of the Potion to the button of the Pokéball. The mechanism would convert the spray into data and merge it with Lumine’s data-form inside the Pokéball to heal him. After emptying the bottle, he released Lumine from the Pokéball, the Rockruff automatically in top shape with energy to run around.

“If you’re so curious, go eavesdrop,” Kaito suggested. 

Phantom gasped dramatically. “I would never do such a thing! Or… maybe I would?” he smiled suggestively. 

“Whatever it is, it’s their business,” Maki said firmly.

“It can be your business!” Angie cheerfully flounced through the sliding door connected to the reading room and sat down on the edge of the deck. “If you’re curious, we were discussing the individuals we met at the ruins.”

“The Monokubs?” Kaede supplied the name.

“Yes-yes. Like I said, the family may not all live in the house, but they’re around. They’re fishermen, police, shopkeepers, construction workers, scientists, and historians! Mama and Papa were giving everyone a description of the Monokubs and a warning to look out for them. The family will disperse on their own. Now, you are up for a treat!”

“Treat?” Gonta snapped his head in her direction like an excited Growlithe.

“We’re going to show you the treasure room!”

“I thought the reading room was the treasure room?” Shuichi said, confused. “There’s the maps on the walls and the artifacts in the glass displays.”

“Nope-nope! That’s just the stuff we feel safe displaying. The treasure room is upstairs.” She gestured for everyone to follow. 

Despite it being obvious the house was two stories and that Keoni and Wikolia, and Makana’s bedrooms were not located in the spares, Shuichi hadn’t considered what was upstairs. The stairs turned out to be located in the corner hall near the dining room, hidden behind a door that could have been mistaken for a closet. The stairway itself was narrow, requiring them to walk single-file until they reached the second floor. To prevent any of them from wandering where they shouldn’t, Angie immediately directed them to a single room. Unlike the sitting room, which was fairly open-spaced with only a couple artifacts, the treasure room was cramped and nearly filled to the brim with maps, documents, chests, and other relics. Kiyo looked so excited he was beginning to sweat.

“Here we are!” Angie pulled out a rolled-up map and unfurled it onto a table in the middle of the room. Everyone squeezed in as best they could, trying to avoid knocking anything over.

“This is Akala Island, we are here.” Angie pointed to the southernmost portion. “Our task is to collect one of each elemental Z-Crystal, eighteen in all. Armed with all the Z-Crystals, we will have an advantage over the Keala family, maybe even enough we won’t have to fight because they’ll be intimidated. Now, excluding the Rock Z-Crystal, which we’ve earned from Papa, there are—,”

“Wait,” Shuichi interrupted, “I thought we were fighting for those stones you received from Tapu Lele? Those weren’t Z-Crystals.”

“You are correct.” Keoni managed to squeeze himself into the room, holding three white bracelet-looking items. “Those were Sparkling Stones, the raw material required to makes Z-rings. One for you, one for you, and one for you,” he handed a Z-ring to Shuichi, Kaede, and Kaito.

“Z-rings?” Kaede repeated, slipping hers onto her wrist. “So, these things let us wield the Z-Crystals?”

“Correct. And here you are,” Keoni dropped another item in Shuichi’s hand. Shuichi held it up, revealing a brown crystal with a small symbol inside of it. “Rockium Z. You battled to prove your worth to wield a Z-ring, but you also defeated a Kahuna.”

Keoni then stood beside his daughter to take her place in explaining the map. “There are three other Z-Crystals on Akala Island, each one guarded by a Totem Pokémon. Totem Pokémon are Pokémon who have been tasked with guarding the Z-Crystals and were gifted with enhanced powers. There are also three Z-Crystals on Melemele Island, one of which is held by the Melemele Kahuna. I recommend splitting into small groups and each going after a Z-Crystal to save time.”

“Which ones are where?” Kiyo asked, pulling out his small notepad.

“Water at Brooklet Hill, Fire at Wela Volcano Park, and Grass in the Lush Jungle.” He pointed to each location as he stated the name, then pulled out a map for a different island and laid that one out on the table. “As for Melemele Island, there is Normal in Verdant Cavern and Flying at Ten Carat Hill. To receive the Fightinium Z, you must face against the Melemele Kahuna.”

“Water, Fire, Grass, Normal, Flying, and Fighting,” Shuichi listed. “And each one, other than the Fighting Z-Crystal, is guarded by a Totem Pokémon?”

“Correct. I recommend creating groups based on what Pokémon you have that will give you an advantage. Usually, trial-goers are restricted by their six-Pokémon party, but you have the benefit of a lot more Pokémon to choose from.”

“We shouldn’t stay too long,” Angie spoke up. “We’ll want to go as far as we can in a day.”

“Wait, we’re leaving now?!” Shuichi asked, shocked at the prospect. It seemed like they had only just gotten here and now they were leaving?

“It’s for the best, especially if you want to find Nebby and Mosaic as quickly as possible,” Maki agreed. “Who knows how long the family will hold onto them before setting them free, or whatever it is they plan to do with them? The sooner we storm Poni Island, the better.”

“But this place is pretty,” Gonta pouted.

“You’ll see other pretty places,” Ryoma assured him. 

“Go and pack,” Angie waved them off, “I’ll finish things up here.”

Shuichi couldn’t help but feel like things were moving too quickly, but maybe that was better. Like Maki said, they didn’t know what the Keala family’s intentions were for Mosaic and Nebby, so it was best they retrieved the two before any other action could be taken. Besides, like Keoni had suggested, splitting up would allow them to find the Z-Crystals a lot faster and easier than a normal trial-goer would. But, as Gonta had complained, this place was gorgeous, and he couldn’t help feeling a little sad they were leaving after just arriving. Hopefully, once they found Mosaic and Nebby, they could return to the house and enjoy the beauty of the islands without a time limit restricting them. 

And so, everyone hurriedly packed their belongings and met in front of the house, taking a few precious moments to marvel at the property before they had to leave. Angie was the last to emerge from the house, followed closely by the three family members who had welcomed them to the house. Angie was now wearing a mustard-yellow jacket over her outfit, the back of the jacket inscribed with symbols of the islands. She gathered them into smaller groups and gave them their destinations, babbling endlessly about the places they were going and why she picked them to retrieve which Z-Crystals.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Shuichi thanked their hosts. “I’m sorry we weren’t able to indulge in your customs as much as we wanted to.”

“Don’t worry,” Wikolia reassured him. “ _Alola ‘oe, a hui hou._ ”

“What does that mean?”

“’Farewell to you, until we meet again.’”

“And we _will_ meet again,” Keoni guaranteed. “The islands have a magic for creating bonds. Guests come and go, but friends… friends stay forever.”

“Your friends sound like really shitty house guests,” said Miu.

* Wela Volcano Park *

“Wela Volcano Park is an active volcano,” Tsumugi read from the pamphlet she’d grabbed from the Pokémon Center near the entrance to the park.

“Great, that’s all I needed,” Kaito muttered, eyeing the smoke and steam twirling out from various vents in the ground and rocks.

“Don’t worry, see here,” Tsumugi held up the pamphlet for him to read. “It says there’s a team of dedicated volcanologists who research the mountain and keep a close eye on its activity. Occasionally, the mountain will experience a lava flow from non-explosive effusive eruption, but an explosive eruption is not scheduled to occur for thousands of more years.”

“That still doesn’t help. Just because the mountain isn’t going to explode doesn’t mean I want to be climbing something that could burst lava in my face at any moment.”

Shuichi couldn’t help but agree with Kaito’s worries. It was unbearably warm even at the foot of the mountain and he’d almost scorched himself when he stood to closely to a steam vent. One would need great determination to stay here and study the mountain, let alone just visit for a short while. Hopefully, they could wrap this up quickly and get as far from the volcano as they could. 

“Okay,” Shuichi scanned the piece of paper Angie had given them before setting off, “according to Angie, we need to find someone named Keahi: he’s Angie’s cousin and Makana’s brother. He can lead us up the mountain, but…” Shuichi glanced at the hiking trail, “I’m guessing he’s already somewhere up there.”

They had arrived at the area at sunset the previous day, having traveled from Konikoni City mainly by foot, but partially by bus. Even though the park was well lit by torches and the natural light emanating from within the mountain, they wisely decided to spend the night at the Pokémon Center and start fresh in the morning. It was a perfect day; a clear sky with a pure, yellow sun, but all three of them couldn’t help the dread associated with climbing an active volcano, but the trial grounds were at the peak, so, they got climbing.

“Um…” Kaito stared at the cave opening the path was leading them to. “I’m willing to climb the mountain, but I’m not going inside it. Isn’t there a different path?”

Tsumugi pulled out the pamphlet again, opening it to the map at the center fold. “Well, this is the most direct path, but we can take a detour into this meadow right here.”

“Meadow,” Kaito immediately voted.

They might not have even noticed the path if it hadn’t been on the map. After a very narrow drop between some boulders, the trail opened as it led below the part of the trail they had just been on. When Shuichi thought of a meadow, the brownish grass-filled clearing with a couple dead trees wasn’t what he expected. In fact, he was amazed anything grew here.

“Actually,” Tsumugi continued reading from her pamphlet, “volcanic ash imbued into the soil makes it very fertile, but, like many things, too much of something can be detrimental. Heavy ash kills plants, particularly trees.”

She was so focused on reading she ran into Kaito and Shuichi, who had both stopped in the middle of the path. The impact had nearly knocked her glasses off, but once she recovered and pushed them back up her nose, she saw what had made them freeze. A Pokémon was meandering across the path, a dark-gray lizard with a black head and bright orange marking running down its back and tail. It stopped in the middle of the path and looked at them, mischievous purple eyes glinting.

“Reminds me of Phantom,” Kaito muttered.

“Let’s see.” Shuichi took a picture of the Pokémon and opened the Pokédex app on his phone. “Looks like it’s a Salandit. It burns its bodily fluids to create different types of gas: noxious ones to defeat enemies, and sweet-smelling ones to attract prey. Apparently, only the females evolve, and they command a group of males using pheromones.”

“I want it,” Tsumugi stated bluntly.

“What?” Shuichi turned to her, a confused brow quirked.

“I want to catch it.” She pulled two Pokéballs out of her bag and released her Gloom and Mawile. 

“That’s probably not the best idea,” Shuichi stepped in. “The app says it’s a Fire/Poison-type with a special ability to poison Steel-types. Neither of your Pokémon are good matches for this battle.”

“Oh,” Tsumugi wilted.

“I’ll catch it for you!” Kaito offered, releasing Comet. “I’ve been waiting for a chance to battle with Comet, and this is a perfect opportunity.”

Salandit must have realized what was about to happen. It sat up on its haunches and hissed at them but dropped down to all-fours when Comet swooped at it. The orange marking brightened and almost seemed to shimmer with heat as Salandit shot a Flame Burst at Comet, the resulting embers forcing Kaito, Shuichi, and Tsumugi to jump away.

“Comet, use Rollout!” Kaito ordered.

Comet spun his body and shot towards Salandit, who was too slow to move out of the way. The hit was a super-effective one, but not very powerful just yet. Salandit jumped onto a nearby boulder and a bluish beam light shot from its mouth, hitting Comet directly.

“What was that!?” Kaito shouted.

“Dragon Rage,” Shuichi replied. “It has a set amount of damage—,”

“Look!” Tsumugi pointed to Comet. The three watched in shock as the Minior’s rocky shell fell off, revealing a red core beneath.

“Use Rollout again!” Kaito instructed. With Comet’s protective shell gone, his defense would drop as well. It was best to end this quickly before Salandit could land another hit like that.

Comet spun his body again and launched himself at Salandit, much faster than before without the weight of his shell. Salandit was hit directly, the attack stronger this time. It was knocked off its perch from the boulder and landed on the ground with a puff of ash. Comet came back around and orbited around Salandit, making sure the lizard wasn’t going to leap up and attack.

“Tsumugi!” Shuichi shook her from her stupor. “Now’s your chance!”

“Oh right!” Tsumugi pulled out an empty Pokéball and threw it. With a flash of red light, the Salandit disappeared into the Pokéball, the item shaking back and forth a few times before going still.

“Ho brah! What a battle!” someone shouted from above them. The trio looked up, spying a young man expertly leaping from rock to rock as he made his way down to them. He had the tanned the skin of an Alolan, but his hair was an ashy-gray color, most likely from the soot in the area.

“Howzit?” he said once he reached them, giving them the customary Alolan wave before swiping the Pokéball and giving it to Tsumugi. 

“Um, hello?” Shuichi hesitantly replied, unsure of what the man was saying. 

“Name’s Keahi, whatchu here fo’? Seein’ da mountain?”

“ _You’re_ Keahi?”

“Ya know me?” he chuckled. 

“We know your cousin, Angie— wait, Leilani,” said Tsumugi.

“Oh!” Keahi suddenly looked excited. “Leilani’s back? What fo’?”

“We’re friends of Leilani. We’re taking the Island Challenge,” said Kaito. “Well, sort of. Our Pokémon were stolen by the Keala family, so we’re collecting Z-Crystals to fight them.”

“Whoa,” Keahi looked enchanted, like he was witnessing the greatest thing he’d ever seen unfolding before him. “I knew dey was goin’ sour, but not like dis. You need ta get up da mountain?”

“Leilani told us to find you. She said you’d help us,” Shuichi explained.

“Anythin’ fo’ cousin! But shouldn’t we wait?”

“Wait for what? Leilani isn’t here, it’s just us three.”

“He not part of yo’ group?” Keahi pointed to the path. Right where the trail they had taken to get to the meadow dropped from the main path, they spied a flash of red-and-white ineffectively hiding among the boulders. A face peeked around to peer at them and then withdrew once the individual saw they had been spotted.

“Isn’t that… one of the Monokubs?” said Tsumugi. “The red-and white one? What was his name? Monotaro?”

“They’re following us?” Kaito growled, reaching for the rest of his Pokéballs. Comet returned to his trainer’s side, his shining red core already beginning to collect particles from the air and reforming his shell.

“Nah brah,” Keahi grabbed Kaito’s forearm to keep him from releasing the rest of his Pokémon. “Not here, dis a bad place to fight. You get knocked down da mountain. We go.”

Keahi started climbing the rocks again, gesturing for them to follow. Despite their apprehension in physically climbing the mountainside, rather than walking the established trail, the threat of the Monokubs and Keahi knowing what he was doing drove the trio to return their Pokémon and follow him. With Keahi as a guide, they expertly traversed the rough terrain, dodging steam vents and rockfalls, occasionally glancing down to see Monotaro trying in vain to follow them.

“Looks like he’s alone,” Shuichi noted. “Do you think the Monokubs are hunting the others? What if they hurt them?”

“Are you forgetting how these guys behaved back at the cemetery?” Kaito responded. “I doubt they’d win even if they went up against Ryoma’s cats.”

“How do you think everyone else is doing?” Shuichi panted, heaving himself to the top of a boulder and taking a few precious seconds to rest. The air was thick with soot, the heat and particles burning his throat.

* Lush Jungle *

"Suck a dick, jungle!"

* Wela Volcano Park *

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Tsumugi said, assuredly.

“Main path’s up here,” Keahi announced. “We blend wid da tourists an' lose him.”

As he said, their impromptu detour rejoined the main hiking trail, the people walking on it staring at them in shock but continuing on their way. One last glance back down the slope revealed Monotaro still struggling to follow them, giving them plenty of time to blend with the tourists heading up the mountain. Unfortunately, the path forced them to travel through shallow caves, but Keahi reassured them it was safe, claiming to have explored the entire mountain. Thankfully, they reached the foot of the peak in record time, their detour having taken them directly up the mountain instead of zig-zagging back and forth on the hiking trail.

“These people can’t all be here to challenge to Totem Pokémon?” Tsumugi looked around at the crowds of people milling about.

“No, jus’ to see da mountain,” Keahi replied, leading them to a wooden arch decorated in red, pink, yellow, and purple. “Dis da entrance to da Trial Grounds. Only trial-goers go past, an’ dat’s you.”

“The Totem’s up there?” Shuichi nervously looked up to the peak of the mountain.

“Azright!” Keahi firmly slapped Shuichi on the shoulder. “Geev’ um. I’ll look at out fo’ your follower. Keep him busy.”

There was someone guarding the arch, preventing tourists from wandering past. Shuichi, Kaito, and Tsumugi approached, the former two flashing their Z-rings, hoping that was all the proof they had to present to challenge to the Totem. Shuichi wasn’t exactly sure what itinerary they needed to provide to prove they were participating in the Island Challenge, especially since, according to Angie’s family, most of the trial-goers were younger children. The guard’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of the Z-rings and they respectfully bowed as the trio walked through.

“Wow,” Kaito adjusted his Z-ring. “Are these things really that important?”

“They let us use the Z-Crystals, so I’d say they’re probably very important,” Shuichi replied. “And the only way you can get them is for a Kahuna to craft them from Sparkling Stones gifted by a Tapu, so I think there’s a lot of prestige associated with them.”

Kaito grinned and held up his wrist to continue to admire his Z-ring, but his focus was rudely interrupted upon remembering exactly where they were upon stumbling into the trial grounds. Shuichi had expected to see an open crater at the top of the volcano and was surprised to realize the trial grounds themselves were a flat battleground capping the peak of the volcano. Here at the peak, they could see the entirety of the rest of the island between clouds lazily floating by. In the immediate area surrounding the mountain were craters and lava flows, bright red standing out against the soot-covered fields and hills. Beyond the lava fields was the coast, and beyond that, they could even see the nearby island. In the other direction was the rest of the island, a sea of browns and greens on rolling waves of land.

“Wow,” Tsumugi marveled. 

Shuichi pulled out his phone and snapped a few pictures, rotating on the spot to try his best to catch a panoramic view. He stopped when he saw a pedestal standing near the back of the raised circular platform that formed the battleground. Even from the distance, he could see the glimmer of something on the pedestal. What he didn’t see, though, was the Totem Pokémon.

“It’s uh… kinda empty up here,” Kaito commented, having noticed the same lack of Pokémon Shuichi did. “Do we just… take it?”

“It’s plain to me… that this is a trap,” Tsumugi said, also glancing around. “Did Angie ever tell us what the Totem was?”

When the collective “no” was spoken aloud, she pulled out her pamphlet again and started scanning the pages, trying to see if the identity of the Totem Pokémon was written there.

“I’m uh… I’m kind of getting vertigo,” said Kaito. “If it’s not here to challenge us, all the better, right? Let’s just grab the crystal and get off the mountain.”

“Be my guest,” Shuichi gestured to the pedestal.

“Uh! I mean— come on, Shuichi! This is your rite of passage! I wouldn’t dare take it from you.”

“My rite of passage for what?” Shuichi complained. 

“I’ll do it,” Tsumugi volunteered.

“Wait,” Shuichi stopped her before she could step onto the platform. “This is the Fire Z-Crystal on the top of a volcano. The Totem’s most likely a Fire-type, and you don’t have any Pokémon with an advantage. But Kaito and I do.”

He could see why Angie chose him and Kaito to procure this Z-Crystal, given their Rock-type Pokémon with several Rock-type attacks. Kaito was looking a little shaky being on the top of the volcano, so Shuichi figured it was best to get this over with. After taking a deep breath, he stepped onto the platform and purposefully marched to the pedestal. As he grew closer, the glimmer of the Z-Crystal gave way to the crystal itself, a crystal as red as the lava vents far below. He took one more glance around before reaching out for the crystal, only to hear Kaito and Tsumugi shout as a bone slammed down on his hand. He yelped in pain and jumped back, looking up to see a Pokémon was now standing on the top of the pedestal. It looked like a Marowak, but its body was purplish and there was a strange marking on its skull. 

_Alolan Marowak._ Just like the one he had encountered in the cargo hold, but it was much larger than any Marowak he’d ever seen.

“Shuichi, get away!” Kaito urged him. 

Shuichi retreated to the center of the platform just as the Marowak leapt down from the pedestal, threateningly pointing its bone at him. Neither moved for a while, just staring each other down. The Marowak grunted and raised its bone, striking each end against the marking on its skull, igniting blue flames.

“Alolan Marowak!” Tsumugi yelled. “That’s Alolan Marowak! It’s a Fire/Ghost-type!”

 _Fire/Ghost? Okay!_ The Fire-typing made sense given it was guarding the Firium Z, the trial grounds were located on top of a volcano, the area the Cubone and Marowak were found in were covered in lava vents, and the flaming Thick Club. The Ghost-typing was a little more confounding, but he didn't have time to reflect on that at the moment. Shuichi released Lumine from his Pokéball, the young Rockruff staring challengingly at the Alolan Marowak.

With a cry of power, the Alolan Marowak was suddenly enveloped in an aura and pounded its bone against the platform. Two Cubone came rushing in and flanked the Alolan Marowak, rhythmically pounding their Thick Clubs with the Totem Pokémon’s. Realizing he was outnumbered, Shuichi released Scout as well to try and even the odds, despite the battle being three-on-two. 

“You can do it, Shuichi!” Kaito encouraged him. “Show that Totem who’s boss!”

The two Cubone rushed forward, raising their bones to perform Bone Club on Lumine. Lumine side-stepped one and jumped on the other’s head, knocking it off balance. Scout dashed and tackled the unbalanced Cubone, pushing it aside, but paid for his attack with a strike by the other Cubone. Upon hearing Scout’s cry, Lumine turned and started doubling back, only to freeze when he saw the Cubone Scout had tackled throwing its Thick Club into a Bonemerang attack. Lumine ducked and avoided the first throw, but forgot about the return, which struck him in the head.

 _Shit!_ Shuichi began to panic. He wasn’t used to Double Battles and his Pokémon were being beaten by the Totem’s allies. If they couldn’t defeat the Cubone, what chance did they have with the Alolan Marowak?

“Scout, use Swift on the Cubone! Lumine, use Snarl on the Marowak!” Shuichi ordered. Snarl was a Dark-type attack with range, so Lumine wouldn’t need to get close to the Totem Pokémon. 

Energy stars bombarded the Cubone who both curled up to defend themselves. With them distracted, Lumine was clear to approach the Alolan Marowak and unleash a Snarl. The Marowak grunted as the soundwave hit it and retaliated with a Bonemerang, its Thick Club transforming into a spinning, flaming, wheel. Having learned from the last time, Lumine ducked for both turns, waiting to get off the ground until he saw the bone return.

“Scout, use Helping Hand!”

Scout waved his tail back and forth, his fur lighting with energy. Lumine’s body began to glow as well and he let out a howl, challenging the Marowak directly. The Totem Pokémon took the challenge and darted toward Lumine, ready to swing its bone into his head, only for Scout to suddenly charge in and bite down on the Marowak’s attacking arm. The Alolan Marowak stumbled with the added weight hanging off its arm, turning itself so that it landed on its back. Scout continued biting and pressed down on the Marowak’s with his full body weight. The two Cubone came rushing in to assist and beat Scout in the head with their Thick Clubs, forcing him to let go. Scout fled, allowing the Alolan Marowak to stand back up, but it was wounded enough to lean on its bone for support.

“Lumine, use Rock throw!” Shuichi ordered. With the Marowak and the two Cubone close together, the Rock Throw would hit all of them. It wouldn’t have a large effect on the Cubone, them being Ground-types, but it would on the Alolan Marowak, who was their main target at the moment.

Lumine launched the rocks threw the air, raining down on the three opponents. The Cubone shook off the damage, but the Marowak couldn’t. With a low groan, the Alolan Marowak collapsed, the flames on its Thick Club sputtering out. The Cubone stared in shock at their fallen ally before conceding defeat to Lumine and Scout, respectfully stepping away. 

“Great job!” Tsumugi and Kaito cheered. 

Shuichi exhaled slowly, trying to calm his nerves. He started walking to the pedestal but stopped to check on the Alolan Marowak. The Marowak wasn’t unconscious and opened its eye to acknowledge him before closing it again. Satisfied the Marowak was going to be okay, Shuichi approached the pedestal once more, this time joined by Lumine and Scout. He hesitantly reached out for the Z-Crystal, making sure his hand wasn’t going to be smacked again, then eagerly grabbing the crystal and holding it up for his friends to see. 

“Firium Z,” Kaito took the crystal from Shuichi once he stepped off the platform. “Sol can learn Flamethrower. Can you imagine a Z-powered Flamethrower?”

“Is the Marowak going to be okay?” Tsumugi asked, looking back at the Pokémon.

“It looked at me,” Shuichi replied. “Besides, if defeating the Totem Pokémon is part of the Island Challenge, I’m sure it’s used to battling. Maybe even knowing when to surrender before it gets knocked out.”

“We should meet up with Keahi,” Kaito suggested, pocketing the Z-Crystal. “I don’t know about his battling skills, but he said he’d distract Monotaro until we got back.”

“Bad idea!” announced a familiar voice. The trio turned to see Monotaro standing in the middle of the path leading down to the arch, flanked by his Magmar.

“What did you do to Keahi!?” Kaito roared, readying himself to sprint forward and punch Monotaro.

“Wah!?” Monotaro flinched in fear before collecting himself. “I didn’t do anything to your friend! I’m not a bully!”

“Then what are you?” Shuichi asked. “You and your friends just show up and block our path? Are the others tracking our friends? What do you want?”

“Hold on! Hold on!” Monotaro held his hands out in front of himself. “No one has to get hurt. All I did was cause a distraction to sneak by. Your friend is okay. Now, as for you—,”

Kaito and Tsumugi released their Pokémon before he could continue, making it clear they would fight if the need arose. Monotaro recoiled again and hurriedly threw out... something Shuichi had never seen before. He almost thought it was a Dive Ball or a Great Ball, given its blue coloration, but it wasn’t. And what emerged from the mysterious ball was something he could have never imagined. Its body was stick-thin and colored white, pink, yellow, and blue, while its head was white with small dots and looked to be completely detached from the rest of its body.

“What is that?” Tsumugi whispered, mystified by the strange creature.

Shuichi pulled out his phone and searched through the Pokédex app but turned up nothing. “It’s unidentified.”

“Oh right!” Monotaro smiled a friendly smile at them. “You wouldn’t know what he is. This is Blacephalon. Say ‘hi,’ Blacephalon!”

The creature— _was it even a Pokémon?_ — rolled its head into its hand and tossed it into the air, catching it back on its neck. Both Kaito and Tsumuhi recoiled in horror. There were Pokémon with detachable body parts or accessories, but nothing like this. The creature gave a little twirl and waved at them, attempting to appear friendly. Shuichi snapped a picture on his phone and noticed Lumine and Scout were reacting a little more fearfully. Both were whimpering and crouched to the ground, staring at Blacephalon.

A dark shape suddenly shot past the trio of friends. The Alolan Marowak’s Thick Club was aflame again but was now pulsing with shadow energy. The bone came crashing down on Blacephalon’s head, causing Monotaro to shriek loudly. Magmar unleashed a Flamethrower, the powerful fire stream slamming into the Alolan Marowak. Being a Fire-type, the attack didn’t hurt as much as it could have, and only functioned to knock Marowak away. Blacephalon fell to the ground after taking Marowak’s Shadow Bone attack, its head bouncing away. Monotaro let out a wail and grabbed the head, returning it to Blacephalon and helping the creature back to its feet.

“We don’t want to fight!” Monotaro insisted. “We just want you to go away! Leave the islands; there’s nothing here for you!”

“We’re not leaving until we find our Pokémon!” Kaito growled back.

Monotaro jittered nervously, biting down on his thumb. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave!” 

He then turned and ran, his Pokémon following him. The Alolan Marowak dropped to its knees and panted heavily. Shuichi, Kaito, and Tsumugi quickly approached it, Tsumugi pulling out a Potion from her bag to heal it.

“Wat doing?!” came a voice from the bottom of the path, followed by a chorus of shouts. Keahi came running toward the three of them, a panicked look on his face. “Dat red-and-white _lolo buggah_ wen running like da mountain was on him! He almost took out a whole crowd a’ people! Are you okay?”

“We’re fine,” Shuichi replied.

“Marowak didn’t like that Blacephalon thing,” said Kaito. “Smashed its head off.”

“Blacephalon?” Keahi repeated in a confused tone. “How mad was Marowak?”

“It charged with the fury of the mountain,” Tsumugi said in a stupor. “It was like… a second wind I’ve never seen before.”

“Hmm,” Keahi crossed his arms and looked down at the ground in thought. “Da Totems are believed to be powered by da Z-crystals, and da crystals are believed to be da powers of nature itself. Dat creature looked unnatural, so Marowak was hostile.”

“I don’t blame it,” said Shuichi. “Even I felt uneasy looking at it. Do you think the other Monokubs have creatures like that? We might have gotten lucky that Monotaro came after us, since he’s kind of harmless, but what about the others?”

“Have some faith in our friends,” Kaito slapped Shuichi on the shoulder. “They can handle anything.”

 _I sure hope so._ But he couldn’t help the uneasy feeling twisting his stomach into knots. The Monokubs were determined to force him and his friends to leave, but why? Were they connected with the traffickers? What information did they know? Regardless, Shuichi stood by Kaito’s statement. They weren’t leaving until they found their Pokémon, not matter what the Monokubs threw at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to not include the Trial Captains since I'm trying to minimize OCs and would need to find Danganronpa characters to fill in for them. So, the Z-Crystals are guarded by Totems and you just go in and battle for them. There was a guard at the volcano trial grounds since the volcano is a tourist destination and they didn't want people wandering in, but other, more remote, trial grounds don't need to be guarded.


	12. Island Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With their new goal of collecting the Z-Crystals, the group splits up to embark on their own Island Challenges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 12: Island Style

* Lush Jungle *

“Okay, I’ve just about had it with this place,” Miu complained, a clinging vine nearly tripping her for the umpteenth time.

No one way listening however. Gonta was too enchanted by the thick foliage and various Pokémon peeking at the three trainers exploring the jungle, while Angie was leading the way, holding up a large flower by its stem like it was a sacred scepter. Cutiefly was zipping back and forth, apparently keeping an eye out for any Pokémon who felt like rushing them. The foliage grew thicker the further they went into the jungle, occasionally passing stone statues covered in vines and moss. Despite it being late morning, the trees nearly blocked out all light, only letting through random patches of sunlight that did little to brighten the path. To compensate, Miu’s Flaaffy was illuminating her tail orb as they walked.

“Wait,” Angie announced, “we’re here.” Before them were a couple large, half-crumbled boulders blocking the path.

“ _This_ is our destination?” Miu raised a brow, crossing her arms in irritation.

“It was supposed to be,” said Angie, lowering the flower and investigating the boulders. “I think there was a landslide or something.” She investigated near the edge of the foliage, pulling out a splintered wooden beam. 

_This is where the arch was. It was crushed by the boulders._

“But there’re no cliffs right here. These came from nowhere,” Miu pointed out.

“No problem!” Angie chirped. “We just need to move these boulders!”

“Oh?” Gonta smiled. “Is that all? I have all we need right here!” He started reaching into his bag when another voice interrupted them.

“If youse bastards had any smarts, you’d get out now.” Monosuke adjusted his glasses, grinning intimidatingly. He looked out of place wearing a long-sleeved button-up shirt and waistcoat, especially in comparison to the trio with their more-appropriate clothing for traversing the tropical islands. Angie could see an Alolan native or anyone who’s spent their whole lives on the islands wearing such clothes and not dying from the heat and humidity, but not him.

“You get out!” Miu retorted. “You don’t own the jungle!”

Angie frowned at the sight of Monosuke, looking around the trees for something that wasn’t there. Gonta was also frowning, but from Monosuke’s use of foul language rather than his appearance. Miu, on the other hand, was mentally running through the scenario and its implications. They had met the Monokubs a few days ago and were greeted with threats—albeit very oddly-expressed threats, but threats nonetheless. Whatever intimidation those buffoons had had in numbers, they now lacked by splitting up. She could only surmise they had confidence in their individual abilities if they were willing to give up the only thing that gave them an advantage. Or they concluded they wouldn’t be able to catch the group of friends if they stayed together, especially if all they did was bicker when around one another. Either the friends were severely underestimating the Monokubs’ potential, or the Monokubs were even stupider than they appeared at first glance.

“Look, here’s how this is gonna go,” said Monosuke. “You and your little buddies are all gonna goes back to Konikoni, hop on that boat, and scoot on back to the mainland.”

“But the boat is not at Konikoni anymore,” Gonta replied. “Some of our friends took it to Melemele Island.”

“Gonta, shut up!” Miu hissed, punching him in the arm, which was like hitting a tree trunk.

“Oh, was that a secret?”

“It ain’t no secret,” Monosuke grinned again. “We know wheres all your friends are. Now, we’re being polite in warning youse guys, but that’s gonna stop real quick-like if we’re ignored. Get off the islands.”

“Since you bitches turned tail and ran the first time we met, you’ve got no right threatening us!” Miu snapped. 

“We had no interest in fighting you at the time.”

“Yeah right.”

Angie’s Cutiefly passed the boulders and went further ahead. Given Miu’s comment about there not being any cliffs close by, these boulders were oddly placed. Unless something dire had happened recently that required the trial grounds to be closed off, these boulders were purposefully placed to obstruct their path. But did Monosuke have the strength to do so? The only Pokémon they had seen him use was an Electabuzz, so… perhaps.

“Alright, if you won’t leave,” Monosuke’s eyes glinted dangerously through the lenses of his glass, “I’ll _make_ youse bastards leave.”

“ _That_. Was not. Gentlemanly,” Gonta growled, his face going dark. Miu and Flaaffy instinctively backed away, while Angie didn’t seem to even be aware of what was going. There was one of two ways this interaction was going to go. Either Gonta would rush Monosuke or have his Pokémon do it.

To give him some credit, Monosuke didn’t balk under the obvious threatening aura Gonta was giving off. Instead, he calmly released his Electabuzz, the Pokémon sizing up its competition. In response, Gonta released his battling Pokémon. Wimpod was too timid to fight, while Drampa was more of a babysitter for young Pokémon, although he could fight if the need arose. From four Pokéballs emerged Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, and Vespiquen, all battle-prepped and all looking for a fight. Now Monosuke seemed to consider the severity of his situation. Angie also realized what was going on and refocused her attention. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she warned in a sing-song tone. “Or maybe you should, they need the exercise.”

“Is that supposed to be threatenin'?” Monosuke scowled. “Fine, I can do that.”

With a snap of his fingers, a strange figure appeared behind him. Whatever it was, it didn’t look organic. Its body looked as if it were made of black cables, bound together by strange, white ties. Its head was a white star-shaped object from which its limbs and tail grew from. It walked toward them on the limbs designated its legs, its arms and tail waving as it walked. Angie felt a stab of dread in her heart. The ambiance had shifted; the chirps of Pokémon, rustling leaves, and gentle whistles of the wind had all stopped, plunging them in silence. 

“That. Is. Adorable!” Miu squealed. “What Pokémon is that? Where did you get it? Where can I get one?”

Oblivious to the negative reactions of her Flaaffy and her friends’ Pokémon, Miu continued to coo over the cable creature while Gonta’s bugs all growled and readied themselves to fight. Gonta himself grabbed Miu and pulled her away from their opponents. Unfortunately, this meant Gonta, Miu, and Angie were trapped against the boulders blocking their path.

“Xurkitree, use Thunder Wave,” Monosuke ordered.

The creature planted it limbs and tail into the ground, electricity channeling from its head, down its limbs, and into the ground. Gonta’s Pokémon all cried as they were shocked into paralysis. Angie jumped up and clung to one of the boulders in time to avoid the pulse, but both Miu and Gonta screamed and collapsed to their knees. When Miu couldn’t muster the effort to make a dirty joke, Angie knew it was bad. She clambered to the top of the boulder and spied exactly what she needed.

“What are you doing!?” Miu grunted through gritted teeth. “Why are you picking berries!?”

“Trust me!” Angie grabbed a low-hanging branch and plucked several berries. They had thick rinds that were difficult to break, but she managed to split one and scoop out the soft flesh within, spreading it on the top of the boulder. A pungent odor wafted through the trees.

Monosuke’s Electabuzz shot a bolt of electricity toward Angie; the attack didn’t reach her, however. Cutiefly whizzed past Angie’s head and rammed her body into Electabuzz's. Despite the size difference, the latter was knocked off balance enough to roll across the ground. A second later, a dark shape leapt clear over Angie and the boulder, delivering a blow with a bright blade made of solar energy onto Xurkitree. 

The Thunder Wave wore off and Gonta’s Pokémon were able to take a battle stance beside the Totem Lurantis. Xurkitree had reeled from the blow, despite it not being super-effective, but the damage was enough to startle Monosuke. Realizing he was outnumbered and outpowered, Monosuke returned his Pokémon and took a step back.

“The Z-Crystals won’t help youse guys in what’s to come,” he warned. “You might haves the strength to take down the family, but not to defend yourselves from the true threat.” With that, he turned and ran, his footsteps fading as his figure disappeared between the trees.

“The true threat?” Gonta repeated, helping Miu back to her feet.

“What else is there?” said Miu. “The family’s the enemy, right? They’re the ones we’re fighting.”

Angie was uncharacteristically silent. She was taking a few deep breaths and her hands were noticeably shaking. Gonta extended a hand to help her get down, which she accepted and stepped onto his shoulder to be safely lowered to the ground. But she continued to stare in the direction Monosuke had disappeared, her eyes blank and unfocused.

_Tapu Lele, what was that creature? Its aura was not of this world._

“Angie?” Gonta gently prodded her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Angie replied, but her voice was hollow. “Gonta, if your Pokémon could kindly remove the boulders?”

Everyone stepped back as Pinsir and Heracross heaved the boulders until the path was cleared enough for them to squeeze through. Lurantis led the march along the remainder of the path, ending at a clearing illuminated with a bright shaft of sunlight. On the far edge was a pedestal, the glimmer of the Grassium Z catching the trainers’ attention.

“Soooo, what do we do?” Miu asked.

“We battle the Totem Pokémon for the Z-Crystal,” Angie replied, gesturing grandly to present the Lurantis. “Who would like the honor?”

“But,” Gonta whimpered, looking like he was about to cry, “it’s too pretty!”

“Oh, come on!” Miu griped. “You have Bug Pokémon! That’s one of the best types to use against a Grass-type! And your Pokémon are practically suffering from roid-rage! This could be over in one-two-three!”

“No!” Gonta wailed, hugging his Scyther, who crooned and rubbed its face against his. 

“Damn it,” Miu groaned. “Well, I can’t use Octillery ‘cause he’s a Water-type, and Flaaffy doesn’t know any moves that’ll be helpful, so it’s all up to you, Ange.”

Angie shook herself from her stupor. Lurantis was looking at her expectantly. As a Totem and protector of the Z-Crystal, it was used to the ceremonial battles and was simply waiting to see which of them would be its opponent. But… its response to Xurkitree had been fueled by a rage she had never seen before. Totems were chosen by the Tapu to guard the Z-Crystals, which meant they were also guardians of the locations the crystals were in. Normally, the Totems would observe intruders to make sure they brought no ill will, not interfering in matters that didn’t concern them or their land. Yet, Lurantis had attacked Xurkitree without hesitation… and _only_ Xurkitree.

_I need to report this back to the others._

“Tropius,” Angie released her chosen Pokémon. “Totem Lurantis, I challenge you for the Grassium Z!”

The trial grounds were cleared except for Lurantis, Tropius, and Angie. Lurantis raised its arms as the natural energy strengthened it. Tropius spread his wings and trumpeted, leaf-wings absorbing the sunlight and invigorating him.

“Kick its ass, Angie!” Miu shouted.

Lurantis darted forward, arms crossed to perform an X-Scissor attack. Tropius reared onto his hind legs and shifted his body weight forward, stomping down on Lurantis before it could hit. Lurantis exclaimed loudly, its cries for help summoning a Comfey, who shot a Magical Leaf attack into Tropius’ face. Tropius took to the air with a single downstroke, putting distance between himself and his attackers. Lurantis spread its arms and absorbed sunlight, its body shimmering as it healed itself.

“Cheater!” Miu accused. “It can’t use Synthesis! That’s bullshit!”

Small petals erupted from Comfey’s flowers as it used Flower Shield to raise Lurantis’ defense. Unfortunately, for the Totem, Flower Shield also raised Tropius’ defense as the flying petals gravitated toward all Grass-types on the battlefield. 

“Use Air Slash!” Angie commanded.

Tropius’s wings beat downward, blades of wind shooting down and slicing through the flower petals. Comfey was hit directly, but Lurantis managed to escape the brunt of the attack. Gonta squeaked as Comfey fell to the ground, retiring itself from the battle. Lurantis poised for another X-Scissor attack but was forced to keep moving around the battlefield as Tropius dive-bombed it repeatedly. In the midst of the stalemate, Angie refused to give another order. She stood at the edge of the trial grounds, watching the two Pokémon chase and avoid one another, just waiting for something, but Miu and Gotna didn’t know what.

“What are you doing!?” Miu shouted. “Finish the fight so we can get out of here.”

“The fight is over,” Angie replied in a mystic tone, “I’m just waiting for Lurantis to realize that.”

Suddenly, Tropius alighted on the ground, folding his wings back. Lurantis was standing in the center of the battlefield, arms held up in surrender. 

“The battle is won,” said Angie. She strode across the open clearing, pausing to stand beside Tropius and pat his head affectionately. Her hand lowered to the fruit hanging off his chin and plucked one, offering it to Lurantis. The Totem Pokémon graciously accepted the offering, nibbling on the fruit as Angie approached the pedestal and took the Grassium Z.

“What kind of fight was that!?” Miu complained. “It just gave up! I thought you said you had to defeat the Totems to get the crystals!” 

“And I did defeat Lurantis, but I did not need to knock them out. They merely needed to realize the battle was lost.” Angie held up the Z-Crystal for the other two to investigate. “I’m more concerned about Xurkitree.”

“Xurkitree?” said Miu. “You mean that cable thing? What was so concerning about it? I thought it was cute.”

“That was not a Pokémon,” Angie responded in a grave tone. “I must consult with Tapu Lele about that creature’s existence. If it is meant to exist at all, it does not belong here.”

“What do you mean?” Gonta asked.

“How can I explain this?” Angie held a finger to her lips as she thought about it. “The Tapu bless the islands and the inhabitants with natural, spiritual energy. Xurkitree was completely foreign; a stranger to this world.”

Angie scavenged a stick at the edge of the clearing, scuffing up some grass to create a dirt patch. Under Miu and Gonta’s curious gazes, she drew a quick illustration of Xurkitree in the dirt, finishing the drawing with what she assumed was how the creature’s name was spelled underneath. 

“Shuichi will want to see this,” Angie explained, taking a picture on her phone.

* Brooklet Hill *

“You know, I think this place is beautiful,” Kaede snickered, barely holding her back her laughter.

“Yes,” Rantaro agreed, also grinning as he tried in vain to not laugh. “It’s nice and cool under the shade.”

“The sound of the waterfalls is soothing.”

“So is the wind rustling the leaves.”

“Everything is so calm here.”

“Truly a paradise.”

“Damn it! Stop ignoring me!” Phantom leapt onto Rantaro’s back, nearly tipping him backward as he laughed in amusement at the smaller boy’s antics.

Rantaro readjusted his grip on Phantom so he was giving the boy a piggyback ride. Their footsteps reverberated against the wood of the piers providing walkways across the small pools of water. As they had been discussing, it was rather peaceful here, the trickling of the waterfalls providing a calm atmosphere. It reminded Rantaro of the marina: the tinge of salt in the air, the sloshing of the water, all that was missing were the boats.

“Where do you think the Totem is?” Kaede wondered aloud.

“In the deepest part, most likely,” said Phantom, resting his chin on top of Rantaro’s head. “It makes sense for the trial grounds to be hard to reach since they’re supposed to test your skills or whatever. Also makes it hard for any idiot to wander in.”

Rantaro and Kaede stopped short when they reached a pond blocking their path. There was a short pier on one end, but no other way to traverse around the edge. Realizing this was part of the challenge, Rantaro released Lapras and clambered onto her shell, offering a hand to Kaede. Phantom continued to cling to Rantaro’s back, obviously not willing to give up on not having to walk. With her new cargo, Lapras swam gracefully through the pool of water and approached the waterfall leading to the next pool. After taking a quick glance back to make sure her passengers were holding on, she slid down the short waterfall, her entrance into the water creating a large ripple. Small fish Pokémon scattered after being disturbed by her sudden appearance, frantically swimming towards the edges of the pond and few unfortunate ones getting swept down the waterfall to the next lowest pond.

 _It can’t be easy climbing those waterfalls,_ Rantaro noted, grimacing sympathetically at the poor Pokémon not strong enough to fight the rush of water.

Lapras continued sliding down the waterfalls. They were able to see ledges along the pools that would allow them to climb back up once they collected the Z-Crystal. Lapras continued her journey until reaching a plot of land where they were forced to walk. Rantaro returned her to her Pokéball and readjusted his grip on Phantom, the boy still refusing to get off his back, even when Rantaro tested his determination by letting go of his legs. 

“This must be the arch,” said Kaede. The wooden arch decorated in pink, red, yellow, and purple was the entrance to a cove, a ridge of rock splitting the cove from the ocean acting as a breaker for the ocean waves, sprays of salt water flying over the rocks and raining into the cove.

Phantom finally let go and took off running through the arch, skidding to a halt at the edge of the water, his shoes creating small trenches in the sand. He started looking around while Rantaro and Kaede joined him on the beach. There was no sign of a Totem Pokémon in the area. Angie said they were larger than other Pokémon of their kind, but all they could see were Water Pokémon swimming idly in the cove. 

“Where’s the pedestal?” said Phantom. He clambered once more onto Rantaro’s back to “try and get a good vantage point,” accidentally kneeing the taller boy in the ribs.

“These are the trial grounds, right?” Kaede questioned. “We passed the arch; these _have_ to be the trial grounds.”

Rantaro released Lapras into the cove, the trio climbing on her shell. With no sign of the Totem Pokémon or the pedestal, Lapras leisurely swam around, purposefully swimming close to the breaker so that her passengers were showered with sea water. Kaede released Cloud so he could aid them with a higher vantage point. The Swablu soared over the cove, dipping lower to scan through the depths of the water. He squawked and flapped near the center of the cove, drawing their attention.

“Look!” Kaede held onto one of the protrusions of Lapras’ shell and leaned over the water, pointing to the bottom of the bowl carved into rock that formed the cove’s body. Beneath the water was the pedestal, the glimmer of the Z-Crystal the only indication of its presence.

“Who wants to go diving?” Kaede asked.

“Not it!” Phantom immediately replied. “And I’m not giving up my mount, so it’s all you.”

Before Kaede could argue, Cloud began to sound panicked, screeching and flailing his wings. He dive-bombed his trainer, who barely had enough time to catch him in her arms. Cloud continued flapping his wings, accidently hitting Kaede in the face several times. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Rantaro wondered aloud. “He looks scared.”

Rantaro was silenced when Phantom frantically tapped his head. Phantom grabbed Rantaro’s head and turned it in the direction he wanted the latter to look. Near the waterfalls cascading from the cliffs, the water was swirling into a small whirlpool. Several fish Pokémon were swimming in the whirlpool, making it stronger as more joined in. Rantaro’s jaw tightened, but he gently hit Lapras’ neck to direct her toward the whirlpool. The vortex grew larger as they went closer, forcing Lapras to the stop at the edge of it, lest she be pulled in. 

“Get ready!” Phantom shouted, throwing a Pokéball toward Lapras’ head. Rugosa, Phantom’s shiny Roselia, appeared and pointed her rose-hands towards the whirlpool. Rantaro took the cue and released Dartrix, who started circling over the vortex.

Just as it seemed the dark shapes under the water were collecting into one mass, a skinny leg suddenly burst through the surface. The fish Pokémon dispersed as more legs emerged, followed by a body that rivalled Lapras in size. Phantom, Kaede, and Rantaro gaped in amazement at the sight of the Araquanid, standing effortlessly on the surface of the water despite its immense size. Lapras trumpeted and swam backward as Araquanid threateningly pointed a leg at them, challenging them for the Z-Crystal.

“Use Leech Seed!” Phantom began the battle since his companions were too shocked to say anything.

Rugosa launched a small seed from one of her roses. Araquanid batted at the small projectile with one leg, but couldn’t hit it out of the air, resulting in the small vines sprouting from seed latching to the leg. Araquanid growled, its noise of frustration muffled by the bubble encasing its head, as it waved its leg to try and shake off the seed. Once it realized the seed wasn’t coming off and was beginning to leech its energy, Araquanid unleashed a Bubble attack. Lapras avoided the attack, her passengers clinging to her shell. Kaede had let go of Cloud when she grabbed onto Lapras’ shell, the Swablu taking to the air and circling Araquanid with Dartrix.

“Dartrix, use Razor Leaf!” Rantaro ordered.

Dartix unleashed the attack, the leaves striking Araquanid’s body. The Totem Pokémon stiffened against the onslaught but shook off whatever damage it had received from the attack. 

“It’s part Bug-type,” said Phantom. “Grass-type attacks won’t work.”

“Then why did you use Leech Seed?” Kaede asked.

“Because it’ll slowly drain its energy over the course of the battle. Now, Dartrix and Swablu are Flying-types, do they have Flying moves?”

“Yes,” Kaede answered. “Cloud, use Peck!”

Cloud dived and struck Araquanid on the back. He dug his small talons into the Totem’s back and repeatedly continued using the attack. Araquanid shook its body, trying to throw Cloud off its back, before bringing its legs together into a point under its body and plunging back into the water. Cloud didn’t let go quickly enough and was dragged down, rushing back to the surface but unable to jump back into the air. 

“Lapras!” Rantaro pointed to Cloud’s flailing form. Lapras hurried through the water, dipping her head to scoop Cloud into her mouth. Forgetting Rugosa was on her head, the Roselia fell into the water with Cloud, resulting in both needing to be rescued.

“Well, this is going spectacularly,” Phantom muttered. He slid off Rantaro’s back and clambered onto Lapras’ head, holding onto her horn. 

“Get down from there!” Rantaro shouted at him, but his command was lost in the commotion of Araquanid bursting out of the water, leaping at them with its front-most legs glowing with the energy of an X-Scissor attack. Lapras swung her head in Araquanid’s direction but, upon remembering Phantom was now hanging onto her horn, she bolted forward so quickly Kaede fell off her back. 

Kaede screamed when Araquanid’s body came crashing down on her. She was pushed under the water, Araquanid’s belly filling her vision. A stream of bubbles left her mouth as she punched at the underbelly preventing her from escaping. Suddenly, she was staring Araquanid in the face, it bulging eyes gazing into her own. Its head dipped and Kaede burst through the surface of the water, gasping for air and clinging to Araquanid’s head through the bubble. Araquanid swam close to a rock poking out of the water and threw her onto it with a heave of its back.

“The battle doesn’t end just because you fell in!” Phantom yelled across the cove. “Keep directing your Swablu!”

 _At least the Totem acknowledged I was in danger,_ Kaede thought to herself. _Okay, it can dive under the water to escape attacks and jump out without warning. Its body can blend with the water, so that makes it difficult to see when it dives. Fine, if we can’t see it when its dodging us, let’s make it so it can’t see us when it wants to attack._

“Cloud, use Mist!”

Cloud shook off what water he could and took the air. He banked around Araquanid, a fog drifting from his wings that danced on the surface of the water. Soon the mist was too thick to see anything other than Araquanid’s limbs as it thrashed around. Dartrix unleashed another Razor Leaf attack. It wouldn’t do much damage, but Rantaro wasn’t going to risk his Pokémon’s safety by having him fly where he couldn’t see the enemy. Kaede began to feel that victory was at hand, until a beam of rainbow whirls shot out of the mist and struck Cloud. The Swablu cried out and started plummeting back toward the water, but a light enveloped his body, growing in size and intensity. The ball of light swooped upward before it hit the water and burst apart into a shower of sparks, revealing an Altaria.

“Cloud?” Kaede squeaked, staring in awe at her newly-evolved Pokémon. 

Cloud warbled loudly and unleashed a Dragonbreath attack, cutting through the mist and hitting Araquanid directly in the face. The Totem flailed and dove under the water to escape, Cloud and Dartrix soaring over the water, waiting for it to resurface.

“Clear them away,” Phantom told Rantaro. “When it comes back up, I’m going to have Rugosa use Petal Blizzard.”

“Cloud! Dartrix! Go to Kaede!” Rantaro shouted, pointing to his stranded friend.

The two bird Pokémon cleared the battlefield just in time. Araquanid burst from the water and leapt into the air, its legs swiping the air as the two flew past. Defenseless while in the air, Rugosa’s Petal Blizzard attack hit Araquanid in full force. To give it credit, it did land on its feet, skipping on the surface of the water. It reared its head, ready to defend itself from another attack, but it soon proved worthless. Under the cover of the petals swirling around Araquanid, Dartrix plunged through the Petal Blizzard and ended the battle with an Acrobatics attack on Kaede’s order. Araquanid’s bubble popped from the impact. Its body collapsed onto the surface of the water, slowly sinking beneath the cover of petals gently dancing on the water. 

Everything was calm, the ripples through the cove slowing into a gentle movement. Lapras cautiously swam to Kaede, keeping an eye out for Araquanid, just in case it wasn’t done. Kaede exhaled a breath of relief as Rantaro pulled her back onto Lapras’ shell. Dartix and Cloud both landed on protrusions on the shell, folding their wings and looking expectedly at their trainers.

“You evolved!” Kaede squealed, embracing Cloud and snuggling her face into his wings. “Guess this means you can’t sit on my head anymore.”

Phantom slid down Lapras’ neck, and it was only due to Rantaro’s quick reflexes that he didn’t tumble into the cove. Rantaro gripped the back of Phantom’s shirt and was about to haul him back up, but the latter protested, pointing to the water. Araquanid was poking its head out of the water, a Wishiwashi swimming in its reformed bubble, the Waterium Z held in its mouth. Araquanid lifted itself further out of the water. Phantom reached out and snagged the Z-Crystal, holding it tightly in his fist as he was pulled back up.

“Waterium Z,” said Rantaro, marveling over the crystal as Lapras swam them back to shore.

“Hope you get some good use out of it, Rantaro,” said Kaede, acknowledging neither she nor Phantom had Pokémon with Water attacks.

Lapras suddenly jolted to a halt. The trio lifted their heads to see if they had arrived at the shore, but they were still in deep water. Lapras was staring fixedly at a strange stone statue. Its appearance was that of dark gray stone weathered with age. It stood ominously under the arch. Kaede was suddenly aware of how quiet it was. The water continued to slosh peacefully against the shore and rocks, but there were no other sounds. Despite the sun shining down on them, she felt a shiver of cold run down her spine.

“That wasn’t there before,” Kaede whispered.

“No, it totally was! I remember walking past it,” Phantom insisted.

Realizing Lapras wasn’t going to take them any closer and they were already soaked, the three of them returned their Pokémon and jumped into the water. More than anything, Kaede didn’t want to approach the statue, but it was standing in their only way out of the trial grounds. Phantom immediately approached the statue, investigating it seemingly without a care. Strengthened by his curiosity, Kaede also approached, putting her hand against what she assumed would be cold stone. It was cold, but there was a pulse of energy from within it. The part of the statue she was touching suddenly slid aside, revealing an intense blue eye.

Kaede shrieked and fell back, scrambling away as the statue lifted itself onto four legs it rearranged from blocks of its own body. Phantom had also leapt clear of the living statue, picking up a handful of sand and throwing it into the creature’s eye. The thing bellowed in pain, but once its cry died down, Kaede realized they had more company. 

Rantaro grunted as he fought with a figure trying to pry his hand upon and take the Z-Crystal. Usually not one to participate in violence, Rantaro must have understood the situation they had found themselves in because he kneed the figure in the stomach, dropping them to the sand. The figure groaned and rolled over, revealing themselves to be Monokid. The living statue let out a displeased noise and stomped over to Monokid, each step with its strange legs creating a small crater in the sand. The statue stood over Monokid, protecting him from further damage.

“What the hell do you want!?” Phantom growled.

“For you fuckers to wise up and get off the islands,” Monokid gasped out, clutching his stomach. He struggled to his feet, holding onto one of the statue’s legs for support.

“You’re the ones who should be worried about being on the islands,” Kaede argued back. “Angie’s entire family knows about you. They’re looking for you and your friends.”

Monokid bared his strangely sharp teeth at them. “They can’t do anything to us.”

“Of course not,” Phantom replied nonchalantly. “They have jobs and reputations here, so they have to abide by the law. But,” he grinned evilly, “that doesn’t mean _we_ can’t do anything.”

“You think I’m scared of you bastards?”

“I don’t know, I’d be plenty scared if that thing were glaring at me.” Phantom jabbed his thumb towards the cove, causing the other three to look in that direction. The Totem Araquanid was standing on the water, exuding a dangerous aura.

“Based on this thing’s appearance,” Phantom continued, scrutinizing the living statue, “I’m guessing it’s either a Rock-type or half? Araquanid gave us enough trouble with Pokémon that had type advantages, I’d love to see how it destroys this thing.”

Monokid locked gazes with Araquanid, trying to stare it down. When the Totem Pokémon refused to back down, and almost seemed to swell with anger, Monokid looked away, growling to himself. He pulled out a strange blue Pokéball-looking item, prompting Rantaro, Kaede, and Phantom to tense with dread.

“They sent me because I specialize in Water-types and would be able to follow no problem, but there wasn’t a Water-type Ultra Beasts. Still, I wouldn’t trade Stakataka for anything.” Monokid returned the living statue to the item, hinting it was a strange type of Pokéball. He threw a normal kind of Pokéball, releasing his Poliwrath, and stalked off in the direction of the layered pools. 

The trio wisely chose to remain on the shore of the cove, giving Monokid enough time to get away before they tried to get out themselves. Kaede began taking pictures of Stakataka’s footsteps on her phone, while Phantom drew in the sand with a stick. Araquanid had vanished into the water once more, having sensed the threat was gone.

“What’s an Ultra Beast?” Rantaro suddenly spoke up. “Monokid said there were no Water-type Ultra Beasts.”

“I think that’s blatantly obvious,” Phantom replied. He proudly presented his drawing in the sand, a rather crude portrayal of Stakataka, including eyelashes drawn on its blank, staring eyes.

“ _This_ is an Ultra Beast. You’ve been around a lot,” he said to Rantaro. “Have you ever seen anything like this?”

“No,” Rantaro shook his head.

“Interesting,” Phantom mumbled to himself, writing “Ultra Beast” under the drawing and directing Kaede to take a picture.

* Ten Carat Hill *

Kiyo and Kirumi’s footsteps echoed in the cave-like passage. Litwick, resting comfortably on Kiyo’s shoulder, provided a light for them using his blue flame. They walked in silence, the path splitting in two, the straight path leading up a slope, while the one to their right was brightly lit, indicating it led outside. After a silent exchange, they chose the option that led outside, emerging into the center of the mountain.

“Ten Carat Hill must be a collapsed lava dome,” Kiyo observed.

The tall walls of the mountain surrounded them on all sides, the hollow in the center was covered in fresh, green grass and clean-smelling soil. A Machop peeked out of the taller grass at them before disappearing from sight. There was various rustling in the grasses from all around them, but nothing jumped out or attempted to challenge them.

“Where’s the pedestal?” said Kirumi, looking around the hollow. “Angie said there would be a pedestal holding the crystal.”

Kiyo hummed in response, walking further into the hollow until he stood in the center. Just as Kirumi observed, there was no pedestal he could see in the hollow, but he did spy a ledge high above the opening of the passage they had just come from. There were other ledges and cliffs obstructing his view, but he believed the incline curving around along the wall that touched down into the hollow was their path up.

“Shall we try?” he gestured to the incline. “Even if the pedestal is not there, the higher vantage point will allow us to see the entire hollow.” 

The two climbed the slope at an even pace. The grasses rustled occasionally, Pokémon peeking out to see who they were. Kiyo had been around plenty of Pokémon in his travels, especially shy ones who rarely interacted with humans, but there was something about these Pokémon that drew his interest. They were fearful, which was understandable, but, rather than simple wariness, he could see a primal fear in their behavior. Were they scared of himself and Kirumi or something else lurking here?

“Dead end,” said Kirumi upon the two of them reaching the peak of the incline.

Kiyo frowned and looked up to the ledge he had seen earlier. Turned out this incline didn’t reach it and their high vantage point didn’t reveal the pedestal’s location in the hollow. Now he was positive the pedestal was on that ledge, so there must be a way to reach it.

“The path split before we exited the cave,” Kiyo reminded both himself and Kirumi. “Let’s go back there. If I recall, the second path did lead upward.”

“Is it strange that I feel uncomfortable here?” said Kirumi as they descended the slope back to the center of the hollow. “There’s a tension in the air.”

“I felt it as well,” Kiyo affirmed her feelings. “I am usually one to eagerly explore a new area, specifically one with such important cultural connotations, but it my desire we collect the Z-Crystal and leave as quickly as possible.”

Upon reentering the cave and taking the second path this time, Litwick began to whimper and dimmed his flame. Due to their invulnerability to Normal and Fighting-type attacks, as well being able to avoid most human attacks, Ghost-types tended to be a little more fearless, especially in a dark place. If he was frightened, it was something worth being frightened of. They reached the top of the upward path and were greeted with the pedestal, standing proudly against the light shining into the cave. After taking a quick glance around, Kiyo lifted Litwick down from his shoulder and approached the pedestal. He didn’t even get close enough to touch the crystal.

A Toucannon dove into the cave, landing on the pedestal and screeching at him. Although usually not one to lose his cool demeanor, Kiyo gasped and stumbled back. Toucannon grabbed the Z-Crystal in its talons and lifted away from the pedestal, soaring into the hollow.

“Well,” Kirumi helped Kiyo to his feet, “it _is_ the Flying Z-Crystal.”

The two exchanged glances and each threw a Pokéball. Xatu and Swanna emerged from the flashes of light, taking flight and following Toucannon as it banked and swooped to avoid them. Kiyo also released his Honedge, since he could levitate for some distance, but kept him close.

“The Toucannon isn’t a very strong flier,” Kirumi noted.

“Given the weight of its beak and small size of its wings, that is to be expected,” Kiyo replied, pulling out some binoculars from his bag. “Unfortunately, it will be difficult to give orders to our Pokémon from this distance. Our best plan would be for Swanna to use Water Pulse to hit Toucannon and then have Xatu use Psychic to catch the Z-Crystal.”

His monologue was interrupted when he saw Toucannon lunge upward and spun to face its pursuers. Rocks split from the wall and launched themselves at Xatu and Swanna. Both birds frantically flapped their wings to dodge the rocks. For the most part, they succeeded by each folding one wing to roll to the side, but Swanna’s wing was clipped by one of the rocks.

“It knows Rock Blast,” Kiyo reported to Kirumi, since she couldn’t see as well as he could.

“Are they all right?”

“Swanna was hit, but I don’t think it caused too much damage. She’s still in the air, but Toucannon didn’t lose much of its momentum during the attack and has pulled ahead.”

“Has it attempted to leave the hollow?”

“No, these are the trial grounds, so I’m guessing the fight is supposed to stay within these boundaries.”

The three Pokémon began to make the round back towards the ledge. Swanna unleashed a Bubblebeam attack, successfully hitting one of Toucannon’s wings. The Totem’s wing collapsed, and it plummeted, forcing Xatu and Swanna to dive. The two spun as they dove, trying to keep an eye on Toucannon and prevent it from fleeing. The Totem snapped its wings and threw its head back, striking Xatu with its beak and throwing the Pokémon to the ground. 

“I hate this,” Kirumi whispered. “How am I supposed to direct the battle from this distance? Does Honedge have any ranged attacks? Or Litwick?”

“Litwick knows Flame Burst, but we would risk hitting Xatu and Swanna with the ember remnants. Honedge could levitate, but he won’t be able to go very far. Levitating is not the same as flying. Any other ranged attacks they have are Ghost-types, which will not have any effect on Toucannon.”

Xatu struggled to his feet, the fall having taken the fight out of him. He looked upward and unleashed a Psychic attack. Toucannon screeched as the psychic energy gripped its body and it fired another Rock Blast attack towards Xatu. Xatu was forced to let go of Toucannon and use Psychic to stop the rocks from falling on him. With Toucannon distracted, Swanna swooped in and hit it with a Water Pulse. Kiyo spied the Z-Crystal fly from Toucannon’s talons. The Totem folded its wings and attempted to fall after the crystal, but Swanna blocked its path, using an Air Slash attack to divert it. The crystal fell almost all the way to the floor of the hollow before decelerating so Xatu could rush over and cup his wings to catch it.

“Call Swanna back,” Kiyo told Kirumi. “Xatu has the crystal.”

Kirumi placed a hand on Kiyo’s shoulder, the sudden contact making him lower the binoculars and look at her instead. She had a grave expression on her face and was staring in the air above the hollow, prompting him to investigate what was worrying her. The Toucannon was plunging towards them, its beak bright red and burning with evident energy. Had it misinterpreted Honedge and Litwick’s presence as more challengers for the crystal? Kiyo dropped his binoculars, not even having time to mourn their loss as they bounced over the ledge, plummeted into the hollow, and shattered on impact. He shoved Kirumi to the ground and grabbed Honedge by the hilt. Sheathed in his scabbard, Honedge allowed his trainer to wield him like an actual sword. Toucannon slammed its Beak Blast attack into Honedge, the impact sending a shock wave through Kiyo and popping several of his joints. Kiyo fell back, almost landing on top of Kirumi, while Toucannon’s momentum carried it over them and into the cave. Kiyo and Kirumi were soon joined Swanna, who had rushed after Toucannon once she saw it was targeting her trainer. Kiyo heaved himself to his feet, still holding Honedge like a sword, but froze once it became apparent Toucannon hadn’t been aiming for them.

Toucannon stood with its wings held out, panting harshly. It was facing away from Kiyo and Kirumi, eyeing an intruder who was standing at the peak of the incline leading up to the cave opening, shoulders hunched, and eyes cast at the ground. At first, Kiyo thought Toucannon was angry at the intruder, but then he detected a small shape swaying back and forth that had the Totem’s focus.

“I didn’t want to come,” Monodam spoke in his slow, jilted manner. “I didn’t want to do a lot of things. Kartana and I don’t like fighting.”

“Then why are you here?” Kirumi stood up, her Swanna taking position beside her.

“To see if you got the Z-Crystal. Papa Kuma wants to know what he’ll need to deal with when we inevitably fail. When you run into him, will you tell him I tried to fight? It will save me from punishment.”

“Punishment?” Kirumi repeated softly. 

The small shape, Kartana, moved back and clung to the hood of Monodam’s jacket. Monodam gave the challengers one more look before shuffling away without another word.

“That was a strange encounter,” said Kiyo. “And I’m used to strange encounters.”

“You heard what he said though, right?” Kirumi asked.

“Yes, it appears our pursuers are not acting under their own wills. Whoever this ‘Papa Kuma’ character is, he is the one we must confront.”

Toucannon folded its wings and faced them. Litwick’s flame grew in intensity and Honedge unsheathed himself from his scabbard. Toucannon marched forward before purposefully bypassing them without a second glance and taking flight into the hollow once more. Kiyo and Kirumi both let out breaths of relief. Kiyo could already feel the soreness setting in after experiencing the shocks of Toucannon’s Beak Blast. Now he took the time to mourn the loss of his binoculars, leaning over the edge to see the broken mess on the ground far below, Xatu picking through the mess with one of his feet.

“Those were expensive,” he mumbled. Shaking his head and sighing, he pulled out his notepad and started scribbling.

“What are you writing?” Kirumi asked, returning Swanna to her Pokéball. 

“I am recording what little information that Monokub gave us. We must find the individual named Papa Kuma. I am also making note of that strange Pokémon he had with him. Haven’t you noticed the change?”

“Yes,” she affirmed. “The wild Pokémon are coming out of the grass. They’re no longer frightened.”

“Toucannon’s rage was focused on that small creature, now that it’s gone, the hollow is alive with activity once more. That creature’s presence was the cause of the fear we saw.” He showed her his notepad, a drawing of Kartana’s general shape on the page. “We must report this back to the others.”

*Verdant Cavern*

“Why couldn’t I be partners with Himiko?” Tenko complained as she and Ryoma crossed the chasm in Verdant Cavern using the crude wooden bridge. “Or at least someone who brought their Pokémon.”

“I’m not exactly jumping for joy over here, and you know as well as anyone my cats don’t battle,” Ryoma replied indifferently. “Besides, your Pokémon are more than capable of winning this fight.”

That compliment appeared to have pacified her for now. Despite the pamphlet from the visitor’s bureau explaining this location was the home of both a Yungoos and Alolan Rattata colony, there was very little activity in the area. The Rattata lived in the trees and the Yungoos in burrows on the ground, and due to their different active periods, they rarely crossed paths. It was daytime, so the Yungoos were supposed to be out and about, but it was silent—eerily so.

“You don’t think they’re gonna try and rush us, do you?” Tenko wondered.

“According to Angie, the Pokémon here are not very strong. Verdant Cavern is often the starting point of many of the trial goers’ journeys solely because of that. I doubt it is customary for the Pokémon to try and overwhelm new trainer; otherwise, this place would not be a safe for them.”

Tenko hummed noncommittedly and continued glancing around for any sign of the hidden Pokémon. The two made their way through Verdant Cavern without confrontation, and Tenko grew more and more suspicious as they went. She didn’t know if Alolan Rattata’s behavioral patterns differed that much from Kantonian Rattata, nor was she familiar with the behavior of Yungoos, but given their rampant populations across the islands, she was sure, in an area almost famous for hosting the two species’ colonies, they would at least see some sign they were around. But this was place was quiet.

She didn’t like quiet.

They emerged from the dim cavern into a small hollow, the pedestal standing right across from them. The space between was hardly big enough for a proper battlefield. The walls of the hollow were covered in moss, ferns, and trees roots winding and snaking down from the trees growing on the top rim high above. Just like the lack of Yungoos and Rattata from within the cavern, there was no Totem Pokémon to greet them.

“Hm,” Ryoma scrutinized the walls of the hollow, trying to find any hidey-holes the Totem might have stuffed themselves into. Angie had explained the Totem Pokémon were larger and more powerful than others of their species, but she hadn’t specified what species the Totem would be. 

“I’ll grab the crystal,” said Tenko, “but I’m not getting jumped.”

She released her Combusken and Mienfoo and had the two flank her as she approached the pedestal. The Normalium Z just sat there; no one guarding it. She paused, giving one last glance around, before quickly snagging it, cautious there might be some sort of booby trap. After a few tense moments of silence, Tenko and her Pokémon stepped away, their muscles rigid and ready to explode into action should anything drop on them.

“That was hardly a challenge,” said Ryoma, taking the Z-Crystal so he could get a good look at it. “Something’s wrong. Do you think the colonies left for some reason?”

“I think the pamphlet said this is protected land, so they must have been protected too.”

“You’re right,” Ryoma agreed. “Unless they ran out of food in the area, I doubt they would just leave of their own accord. Unless, something made them leave.”

Tenko frowned and started walking around the hollow more freely, searching for any sign Pokémon had been here. Ryoma let her explore, content with not having to fight for the crystal but also worried about the emptiness of the area. He was about to call out to her for them to leave, when a sudden feeling washed over him. He was filled with an intensity to fight, unlike any he had ever experienced. Sure, he got excited when playing a match of tennis, but he prided himself in always having a cool head. This feeling was so unlike himself, and there was a sharp sting in the back of his skull as he attempted to fight it. He let out a grunt of both shock and pain. 

“What are you doing?” Tenko snapped, eyeing him suspiciously. 

“Something’s wrong,” he gasped out. “I think… I’m having a stroke or something.”

“What!?” Tenko yelped. “Don’t do it here! I’m not trained to handle that!”

“I’m having emotional shifts and it hurts,” he pressed his hand on the back of his head.

“That…” Tenko now gave him a confused look. “That doesn’t sound like a stroke.”

“Stop!” The sound of the third voice suddenly exclaiming made them both jump. Ryoma turned to see Monophanie standing in the opening to the cavern, her hands on her hips and a look of disapproval on her face.

“We don’t do that anymore. It’s rude,” she scolded.

“Don’t do what?” Ryoma almost said, but his question was interrupted by Tenko shrieking. He turned back towards her, but found his line of sight was… impeded, but not blocked completely.

A creature had been floating behind, now in front, of him. Its body was made of a clear substance that allowed him to partially see through it. Its head reminded him of jellyfish Pokémon, like Tentacool and Frillish, although it lacked visible eyes. Several tendrils hung down from its head, swaying back and forth. It levitated over him and floated to Monophanie, resuming its odd swaying movement.

“Sorry,” Monophanie apologized, “her species is capable of injecting neurotoxins into hosts but we’re working on her behavior.”

“What the hell?” Tenko gasped. 

Ryoma stumbled to Tenko’s side, clutching the back of his head. Once he was beside her, her Combusken and Mienfoo jumped out in front, poising themselves for a fight. Monophanie looked nervous at their intensity but spoke to Tenko and Ryoma.

“I just need that crystal you have.”

“Why didn’t you take it before we got here?” Tenko snapped.

“Because they wouldn’t let me,” Monophanie whined.

“Who’s ‘they?’”

“Um… Tenko,” Ryoma jabbed her the side to get her attention. When she wheeled on him, intending to scold him for touching her hip, he wordlessly pointed up. The upper rim of the hollow was no longer bare. Dozens of Yungoos and Alolan Rattata were crowded together, staring down at the visitors. They suddenly started scrambling down in waves, more and more appearing over the rim and crawling on the moss and tree roots until the entirety of the hollow’s floor was covered in Yungoos and Rattata.

Tenko and Ryoma froze, unsure of how to proceed. Monophanie said ‘they,’ implying the Pokémon, had stopped her from taking the Z-Crystal, so why didn’t they stop Tenko from doing the same thing? In unison, all the Yungoos and Alolan Rattata turned to Monophanie and her strange Pokémon, glaring and growling. Monophanie yelped and threw out a Pokéball, her Aromatisse materializing.

“Use Sweet Scent!”

The pleasant aroma should have soothed the Pokémon, but their rage was palpable. Tenko, her Pokémon, and Ryoma wisely backed away until they were near the pedestal. They were trapped and surrounded, but their trappers were not angry at them. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was better than the alternative. 

There was a sudden shriek from above them and two massive, dark shapes landed among the Yungoos and Rattata. The Gumshoos and Alolan Raticate both hissed at Monophanie, their preevolutions taking up the hiss as well. Monophanie squeaked and started backing away but found her last bit of resolve to speak with Tenko and Ryoma one last time.

“We only want what’s best. You and your friends are getting in the way, but I know you don’t know any better, and that’s okay. Just like how I was scared of Nihilego at first, but then I got to know her, and I’m not scared anymore.”

With those last cryptic words, Monophanie and her two Pokémon vanished back into the cavern. But that wasn’t the end of the situation. The Yungoos and Alolan Rattata all surged forward and followed her into the cavern. Tenko and Ryoma could only hope they were chasing her out and didn’t plan to swarm her. Soon, the hollow was only occupied by the two Totems, the trainers, and Tenko’s Pokémon. Gomshoos and Raticate turned to face Tenko and Ryoma, Combusken and Mienfoo raising their arms to strike if the need arose. Ryoma clutched the Normalium Z so tightly it was cutting into his hand. Tenko’s Pokémon were Fighting-types and were well-trained for battle, so there was doubt in his mind they could handle the Totems, but he was more worried about the swarm that had repopulated the cavern. None of this was going how Angie had described how a typical trial challenge usually went, so who was to say the traditions would protect them at all?

Alolan Raticate stared purposely at the hand Ryoma had the Z-Crystal clutched in. It clicked its teeth in annoyance and almost seemed to roll its eyes before shambling into the cavern. Gumshoos stood on its hind legs and stared at them before doing the same, leaving them in the now-empty hollow.

“That was… weird,” Tenko stated. 

“They didn’t even fight us for it,” Ryoma opened his hand to look at the crystal.

“Maybe because we already took it from the pedestal?”

“Any guess could suffice for what we just witnessed. Aren’t Yungoos and Alolan Rattata supposed to be enemies if they meet?”

“Common enemies?” Tenko suggested uncertainly. “Whatever that jellyfish-thing was, they all hated it.”

“If their fear and hatred of it was enough to overcome their natural disposition towards one another, maybe we should be worried as well.”

*Hau’oli City*

“Hau’oli City is the only city on Melemele Island and the largest city in Alola,” Keebo read from the pamphlet he’d found while he and Himiko waited for Maki to get the information she needed from the nice lady at the visitor’s bureau.

“Nyeh, the largest city? That just makes it more of a pain to explore,” Himiko replied.

“We’re looking for the Kahuna. Given the prestige that comes with the position, I’m sure they make themselves readily available. We’ll find them.”

Maki stepped out of the visitor’s bureau, the bell on the door jingling as she exited. She had a look of slight displeasure on her face, which was difficult to tell apart from her natural expression. She approached her two friends with a purpose in her stride.

“We need to go to Iki Town,” she reported. “The Kahuna isn’t here.”

“What? Then this was for nothing?” Himiko complained.

“Iki Town isn’t far. We need to exit the city into the outskirts. Once there, we’ll find a dirt road that will take us inland. The woman said it will take us straight there.”

Himiko groaned but stood up anyway. Keebo neatly folded his pamphlet and stowed it away in his backpack. Hau’oli City was very large, but, thankfully, the visitor’s bureau was already near the edge of the city. Keebo was taking pictures of anything that peaked his interest, hoping the others were attempting to do so as well. Since they split up to collect the Z-Crystals, there was a good chance he wasn’t going to be able to visit the other areas. If he couldn’t go there, then he at least wanted pictures. 

Maki’s phone suddenly buzzed, and she stopped to fish it out of her pocket. She sighed upon seeing the message, shaking her head. Keebo and Himiko crowded her to see what she had been sent. The message was an image of Kaito posing with the largest Alolan Marowak any of them had ever seen.

“So that’s a Totem Pokémon,” Keebo said in slight awe. “I wonder what causes them to grow so large?”

“Angie said something about each being chosen by the Tapu,” said Himiko. “I guess they’re the ‘chosen ones.’”

“I hope I get to see one,” Keebo stated.

“There are two more islands,” Maki replied, pocketing her phone. “I’m sure you’ll get your chance.”

Unlike Konikoni City, Hau’oli had paved roads and cars driving on them. It also had a lot more tourists. The trio stuck to the sidewalk, weaving between throngs of people who were heading further into the city. As they approached the outskirts, the buildings grew smaller and further apart, and the amount of people slowed to a trickle. The last building they saw was the trainer’s school, the property fenced off with children and Pokémon playing on the practice fields. The edge of the city was abrupt; the pavement just ended on the other side of the Pokémon Center and the outskirts were still so full of wildlife and plants among the sparse houses, it was almost like walking into another world. Keebo and Himiko both glanced over their shoulders at the city just to make sure this was real.

“This must be the road,” Maki indicated the dirt road that intersected directly in front of them. There were footprints and tire tracks in the dirt, suggesting it was well-used. The road led up a steep-looking slope, wooden fences on either side fencing off the flora attempting to encroach on the empty space.

Himiko looked at the dirt road leading up the slope and sighed. “Yeah… that’s not going to happen. Just leave me here.”

“Get up!” Maki snapped, hauling the smaller girl back to her feet when she attempted to sit down near the route sign. “This is why Angie didn’t let you partner with Tenko, because you two wouldn’t get anything done. You’re lazy and she’s a pushover when it comes to your behavior.”

“I’m getting better!” Himiko argued, but due to her natural tone of voice, it sounded half-heartened.

“Let’s get to Iki Town, challenge the Kahuna, and get the Z-Crystal.”

The climb wasn’t as harsh as they assumed it would be. There was a pleasant ocean breeze blowing up from the beach keeping them cool as they trudged upward. There were some locals around, mostly young children running up and down the road with their Pokémon. They ran into a young girl sitting on a large rock and eating lunch with her Buneary. She helpfully told them to take the left path when the road forked at the top of the hill. Keebo and Himiko were panting by the time they reached the crest of the road, while Maki was barely winded. She did allow them a few minutes to rest without complaint, looking over the ocean from their vantage point.

“Look!” Himiko pointed excitedly. “You can see Akala Island.”

“That tall mountain must be Ten Carat Hill,” Keebo indicated the structure south of them. 

“Come on,” Maki urged them. “If we wait too long, you two won’t get going again.”

“I would!” Keebo insisted. “I’m excited to see as much as I can. Do you think Iki Town is like Konikoni City?”

“The woman at the bureau said a lot of the native Alolans live there, so I’m guessing it’s similar to Konikoni City in that it’s old and more traditionally-designed.”

A wooden arch came into view as they rounded a curve. It wasn’t like the arches in Konikoni City; it was humbler. Himiko and Keebo took a moment to appreciate it while Maki marched right through. Iki Town was hardy a town at all. What buildings they could see appeared to be houses, and it didn’t look like there were any stores or shops. It was also very small; they climbed a small set of stairs and were at the top of the hill, surrounded by everything there was to see.

“Wow,” Keebo whispered, “I’m not used to such small towns. I wonder where they get their groceries?”

“They probably grow a lot of it themselves,” Maki suggested.

There was a platform in the center of the houses. Himiko wandered over to it and jumped up, walking around the edge of it. One of the locals must have recognized they were foreigners and, assuming they were either lost or sightseeing, approached them. Maki talked with him, explaining why they were there, while Keebo noticed another path between two large trees. He walked over but didn’t make it past the trees. There was a strange energy in the air, rushing down the mountain in pulses. He was frozen in awe at the sensation, staring down at his hands. He jumped when a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

“I know it can be strange at first, but you get used to it.” The individual spoke with a deep voice, like it was coming from low in their stomach. They towered over Keebo, body bulging with muscles and dark skin covered in scars. They had pale, stringy hair, paler than even Angie’s hair. Keebo had never felt smaller or more vulnerable.

“My name is Sakura Ogami,” they introduced themselves.

 _This is a woman?_ was Keebo’s immediate thought, but he wisely didn't say that out loud. 

“Are you the Kahuna?” Maki approached, Himiko close beside her and staring in amazement at Sakura.

“Yes,” Sakura replied. “Am I to assume you are challengers?”

“Well, I am. I don’t know about these two. The last Kahuna battle we saw was three trainers battling one of three of the Kahuna’s Pokémon.”

“That is… odd.”

“Well, our situation is odd,” said Himiko, still staring at Sakura.

“Look, can we get this over with?” Maki asked, pulling out a Pokéball. “We need to meet up with our friends.”

“You don’t seem all that excited about embarking on the Island Challenge,” Sakura commented. “What is it about your situation that’s ‘odd?’ And where are your amulets?”

“Amulets?” Keebo asked.

“Every trial goer is given an amulet that identifies them as a trial goer.”

“Angie didn’t say anything about amulets,” Keebo whispered to Himiko. “And her father didn’t offer any.”

“Maybe because we’re not real trial goers?” Himiko proposed.

Sakura must have heard their conversation because she had a cross look on her face, but she didn’t comment. Instead, she turned to the path between the two trees as if she had heard something. Keebo felt the pulse of energy intensify briefly, and then fade away.

“Very well,” Sakura said to no one before turning back to her audience. “Despite the strangeness of your situation, I will battle you.”

Maki was mystified by Sakura’s sudden approval of her challenge. She glanced at the path, wondering what caused the Kahuna to agree. Like Keebo, she had also felt the energy shifts, so what was causing them? Between the thick trees above them, she could spy a path zigzagging up the mountain. So, what was up there?

“Would you please join me?” Sakura gestured to the platform. 

The residents must have realized what was about to happen because they crowded around the platform, the excitement evident in their smiles and cheers. Maki suddenly felt a little nervous. Unlike Keoni, who had purposefully split his battle into three separate battles due to his challengers’ lack of experience, she would be fighting this battle as a true Kahuna battle. No doubt, Sakura wouldn’t hold back.

“ _Kulikuli_ ,” Sakura exclaimed, the residents quieting down in response. “We have a challenger for the Fightingium Z.” She held up the Z-Crystal with one hand, allowing everyone to see it, and signaled for Maki to step up to the platform.

“I am Sakura Ogami, member of the Kemele family, and Kahuna of Melemele Island. I specialize in the Fighting-type.” She threw three Pokéballs into the air, a Crabrawler, Hawlucha, and Machoke materializing in front of her. “Choose your challenger.”

“Wait, what?” Maki jerked her head in surprise. “I thought this was a traditional battle?”

“Tapu Koko has spoken. Your circumstances are not normal, so I cannot treat this battle as a normal battle. Your friends… they walk with the blessing of the Tapu, right?”

“Um…” Himiko tilted her head in thought. “The Z-rings?” That was obviously the correct response when the entire crowd gasped and started talking amongst themselves excitedly. 

“I choose Crabrawler,” Maki proclaimed. “And I will battle with Togetic.”

Out of her three Pokémon, Togetic didn’t battle that often. He had been a gift from Kaito, that goofy idiot eagerly pushing the speckled egg into her arms. Of course, she had been embarrassed by his enthusiasm, but there was also a sweetness to it. The resulting Togepi evolved in no time and proved himself to be powerful despite the lack of experience.

“Dizzy Punch!” Sakura began the battle.

Crabrawler clacked its claws together and pounced at Togetic. Squeaking in surprise Togetic dove out of the way, barely dodging the strikes that threatened to confuse him if they hit. Crabrawler came close, claw bearing down in an upstroke, but was blown back by Togetic’s Fairy Wind. The attack took its toll and Crabrawler tried to shake off the damage.

“Ancient Power!” Maki ordered.

Togetic summoned the rocks and hurled them at Crabrawler, but the latter punched them away with its claws.

“Crabhammer!” Sakura instructed.

Crabrawler’s claws rippled and almost seemed to grow in size. It leapt and managed to punch Togetic in the side of the head, the poor Pokémon spinning out and landing on the platform. Togetic didn’t even have time to recover as Crabrawler rushed forward with a Dynamic Punch. Maki grit her teeth as her Pokémon displayed clear signs of confusion, head lolling to the side and unable to take flight. 

“Allow me to show you the power of the Z-Crystal,” said Sakura. “Crabrawler, All-Out Pummeling.”

The energy in the air thickened and Crabrawler was suddenly enveloped in an intimidating aura. It clacked its claws together again, the aura almost blazing into a fire. It sprinted forward, it legs barely touching the platform. Maki didn’t know how hard the attack was going to hit, but she needed to stop it in its tracks.

“Fairy Wind!”

There was a good chance Togetic would hurt himself, but his confusion might work in his favor. If he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where to aim, he would instead spread the attack out over a larger area. Crabrawler would be hit no matter what. The energy-infused wind moved in a vortex before collapsing and bursting outward. Crabrawler’s attack hit, but it also took too much damage. Luckily, the strike knocked some sense into Togetic. He was still unsteady from having taken damage, but he stayed standing. Similarly, Crabrawler was swaying, heavy claws resting on the platform and panting heavily. Neither had fainted; the battle had to continue.

“I surrender,” Sakura announced.

“What?” Maki couldn’t help but gape in confusion. “But Crabrawler is still standing.”

“He lost too much energy using the Z-Move. Normally, we’re more controlled, but he panicked in facing a Fairy-type. He unleashed all he had to do as much damage as possible, but it was too much. I surrender.”

She held out the Z-Crystal and Maki approached to take it, but a loud call, echoing and undulating across the sky interrupted the exchange. The crowd of Alolans cheered loudly, something about “the approval of Tapu Koko.” Maki, quite done with all the perplexing situations she and her friends had plunged headfirst into, took the crystal and walked off the platform. No one seemed to notice her rudeness, too busy discussing the Tapu. Well, one person noticed, but they didn’t see it as rudeness.

Sakura watched as Maki collected Togetic and rejoined Himiko and Keebo. She couldn’t hear their discussion over the chatter of her neighbors, but she felt she didn’t need to. Those three were part of something very important, something that Tapu Koko himself had blessed. They didn’t have amulets and they didn’t have any other Z-Crystals, despite it being traditional for one to collect the other Z-Crystals before challenging the Kahuna. But these three weren’t following the traditions, they were embarking on something greater. Sakura pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number dear to her.

“Hey Aoi,” she greeted the individual on the other end of the line. “I just met a group of people we might want to keep an eye on.”


	13. A Forgotten Tome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group travels to Ula’Ula Island and splits up to hunt Z-Crystals. While Angie, Kiyo, and Kirumi visit Malie Library to find the lost stories, Shuichi makes an important discovery concerning the Pillager of Light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Rockruff (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Espurr (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 13: A Forgotten Tome

“Sirkitry,” Shuichi whispered to himself, staring at his phone.

Not too long after claiming the Firium Z and bidding Keahi goodbye, Shuichi received multiple messages from his friends. Most were pictures of drawings in the dirt, sand, and on Kiyo’s notepad. One from Kaede included the written text “Ultra Beast” and the one from Angie said “Sirkitry.” What was an Ultra Beast, or a Sirkitry? None of the drawings made sense; thus, he was left contemplating exactly what had happened to his friends while waiting for them to arrive. 

He, Kaito, and Tsumugi had spent the night on the beach of the Hano Grand Resort. They couldn’t dream of ever having enough money to spend a night at the actual resort, and there was a friendly group of people spending the night on the beach anyway. It wasn’t something he had ever thought of doing but found it to be relatively comfortable. Now, he sat on the beach, bare feet buried in the sand, musing about the adventures his friends had embarked on. 

“What’s a Sirkitry?” he asked aloud. 

Tsumugi was sitting near him, although under an umbrella, and tickling Salandit’s belly. “Like what an electrician works on? Circuitry? Maybe Keebo and Miu know.”

“Either the answer’s ‘no’ or Angie does not know how to spell.” Shuichi sighed and stowed his phone away in his messenger bag. He pulled the Firium Z out and held it up, so the sunlight shone through it. He found himself thinking back to his conversation with Kiyo— it felt so long ago. Kiyo had mentioned the Z-Crystals when he compared them to the elemental plates. Kiyo had said no one knew the exact origin of the plates, so did anyone know where the Z-Crystals came from?

“The others should be here soon,” Tsumugi reminded him.

As if on cue, Rantaro’s boat appeared around the curve of the coast. Shuichi shook the sand off his feet and stood up. The boat wouldn’t be able to come close to shore without beaching itself, so they were going to have to wade into the water. 

“Kaito! Lumine! Scout!” Shuichi called up the beach. 

The three, who had been playing beach volleyball with some vacationers, came running up. Shuichi returned Lumine and Scout to their Pokéballs, and walked into the water, holding his messenger bag above his head. Gonta lowered the ladder so Shuichi, Tsumugi, and Kaito could climb aboard, offering them a helpful hand for the final rung. Rantaro’s boat was a good size, but it wasn’t meant for the number of people currently crowded onto the deck.

“Shuichi,” Kaede waved him over. She had the Z-Crystals spread on the deck, pointing to each one as she named them off, “Normal, Fighting, Flying, Water, Grass, Rock, and now…”

Shuichi nodded and placed the Firium Z with its brethren. Seven Z-Crystals down, eleven to go. Kiyo groaned as he stood up and wandered over to see their collection.

“Are you okay?” Shuichi asked.

“Just a little sore,” Kiyo replied.

“Oh!” Miu had a lecherous grin on her face. “Did you and Kirumi participate in some _physical_ activity? I see Kirumi has some bandages on her arms.”

“He took a hit from an angry Toucannon and pushed me out of the way,” Kirumi responded, her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Miu shrunk away in fear. “W-well I took a Thunder Wave from a living pile of cables!”

“Which island are we going to next?” Shuichi asked, wishing to draw attention away from Miu and her insinuations. Rantaro and Angie were standing at the bridge, guiding the boat away from the shore and setting out into open water.

“Ula’Ula Island,” Angie replied. “It might take a while since we’re going to Malie City and it’s on the far side of the island.”

“Isn’t there a closer place we could dock?” Kaede asked.

“Technically yes, but Kirumi, Kiyo, and I will be visiting the Malie City library archives while the rest of you hunt down the Ula’Ula Z-Crystals.”

“What’s at the library?” Shuichi questioned.

“The story of the Pillager of Light.”

Shuichi was struck with a realization. He had forgotten about the Pillager of Light, but since they were in Alola, it would be to their benefit to find it. Hopefully, it was still there and hadn’t been lost or removed.

“Isn’t that distracting from our quest?” Ryoma remarked. “Aren’t we here to find Kaito and Shuichi’s Pokémon?”

“That’s true,” Shuichi stood up to address everyone, “but I believe the story may help us. Angie said Tapu Lele believes the Keala family is behind the traffickers. When I first confronted the traffickers, back when I thought they were just one-time occurring thieves, they claimed they were paid and that a demon from another world was going to appear in ours and devour all light. When I discussed it with Angie, she suggested the demon could be the Pillager of Light, an entity from a story her grandmother had told her. If the Pillager of Light is one of the influencing factors for the family’s behavior, I think it would help if we knew everything about the story.”

“A demon from another world?” Keebo repeated. “Like an alien?”

“Not necessarily,” Kiyo replied. “There have been many stories in human cultures about certain Pokémon who have come from other worlds. The Unown are believed to have come from another dimension and venture into our world on rare occasions.”

“Speaking of strange Pokémon,” Shuichi spoke up. “Monotaro showed up to our Island Challenge with a Pokémon called Blacephalon. What can you all tell me about the creatures you saw?”

*Malie Garden*

The pamphlet from the visitor’s bureau had a map of the island, although it wasn’t as detailed as the maps at the Kamaka family’s home. But, it would have to do for now. Angie was circling locations with a pen and babbling to herself while everyone else sipped tea and ate some snacks they had bought for lunch from the little tea shop in the gardens. Pokémon were allowed in the garden as long as they didn’t damage the grounds. Shuichi nibbled on an anpan roll, watching Jester the Zorua sit on top of the table and lap from his own cup of tea.

“He’s a very cultured Zorua,” Phantom had explained.

“Okay!” Angie slammed a hand on the pamphlet. “Here’s the game plan! Kirumi, Kiyo, and I will stay here and investigate the archives. The rest of you will split up to get the Z-Crystals and we’ll all meet up at Tapu Village.” She pointed to a location on the southern coast of the island.

“There are seven Z-Crystals: Electric, Ghost, Ice, Psychic, Steel, Bug, and Dark. Darkinium Z is in the custody of the Kahuna, but… there lies a problem.”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked.

“Y’see, the other Kahunas have places where you can usually find them, either at the ruins of their islands, or in the town or city they live in. From what I’ve learned, the new Kahuna for Ula’Ula belongs to both the Keawe family and the Seafolk, who are travelers that live on the water. That being said… I don’t quite know where to find her.”

“I guess we’ll figure that out when the time comes,” Kaede sighed. “Where are the other Z-Crystals?”

“Buginium Z is located here,” Angie pointed to a patch of woodland near a location named Po Town.

“Bugs!” Gonta cheered, happy that they were going to find the Z-Crystal of his preferred elemental type.

“Psychium Z is here on Route Fifteen, near Tapu Village. I believe the pedestal is somewhere on the small islets. Ghostium Z is on Route Fourteen, south of Tapu Village. Icium Z is on Mount Lanakila. Steelium Z is in the Haina Desert. Electrium Z is located on Mount Hokulani, near the observatory.”

“Observatory?” Kaito jumped to his feet. “I volunteer to go get the Electrium Z!”

“You just want to see the observatory,” Maki said, sipping on her tea. “I’ll go with you, so you don’t get distracted.”

“I want to see the observatory,” Himiko added. “Can I come?”

“If Himiko’s going than I’m going!” Tenko cut in.

“No,” Maki replied firmly, “if Kaito’s going, we only need one hyper-active numbskull, and I’m not going to be everyone’s babysitter.”

Tenko pouted, crossing her arms and slouching on the bench at the picnic table. Phantom grabbed the pamphlet and traced the path with the pen, calculating when the smaller groups would split off from the main group. Based on the locations, Buginium Z would probably be the last Z-Crystal they picked up, especially is they were going to treat this Tapu Village place as their base of operations. The Ghost and Psychic Z-Crystals were close to Tapu Village, while the Ice and Steel Z-Crystals were in locations whose entrances were along the way to the village.

“Soooo, we’ll leave Angie, Kirumi, Kiyo, Himiko, Psycho-bitch, and Starboy behind, while the rest of us head towards Tapu Village?” said Phantom.

Both Maki and Kaito glared at him, but Angie cheerfully confirmed his statement. As they made their way down the coast, the group would get smaller and smaller and then they would reunite in Tapu Village. Kaede dumped the Z-Crystals they had already collected onto the tabletop and gifted Kaito the Rockium Z, since most of his Pokémon were Rock-types. They didn’t know what the Totem was, and it might have been best to have the Ground Z-Crystal, but they didn’t have that yet. Shuichi swept the remaining Z-Crystals into his bag; he and Kaede had the other two Z-Rings, so the rest of his friends couldn’t use them. Might as well keep them all together and close by if the need arose.

They had one last toast with their tea cups, wishing each other luck in their pursuits with the acknowledgement they might not see one another for a couple days.

*Mount Hokulani*

“Who was he calling ‘psycho-bitch?!’” Maki growled, digging her nails in her own arm. “That little punk needs to watch his mouth.”

“C’mon Maki-roll,” Kaito tried to soothe her. “I had to spend two days locked up with him. He’s a jerk, but he can have his moments. Try to look forward to our destination: an observatory on top of a mountain.”

“It’s daytime, Kaito. You won’t be able to see anything.”

“Maybe we could spend the night?”

“We shouldn’t dawdle. Aren’t we here to find Nebby?”

Kaito enthusiasm crashed and burned as he leaned back in his bus seat, staring at his hands in his lap. “I guess you’re right.”

Maki’s lips tightened into a thin line. She turned to look out the window of the bus, looking down at the zigzagging road they were using to climb the mountain. She had been in a relationship with Kaito since their senior year of high school, but still struggled with expressing her feelings. Kaito was good at hiding what he was really feeling for the sake of cheering for others, but she could see he was hurting. He excited himself over getting to go to the observatory, then remembered his Pokémon was missing. As long as they found Nebby in the end, did it matter if he took a small moment to enjoy himself?

“Okay,” Maki relented, “we’ll stay the night, so you can play in the observatory.”

“Thanks, Maki-roll!” Kaito hugged her, causing her to blush and try to push him off.

“Whoa!” Both Maki and Kaito looked across the aisle at Himiko. She had fallen asleep as soon as she had sat down on the bus and had been dozing the entire time.

“I think my nap took me to another dimension,” Himiko rubbed her eye.

“Did you forget you’re in Alola?” said Kaito.

“…Maybe.”

The bus slowed to a stop, and a glance out the window revealed they had arrived at their destination. From the window Kaito and Maki shared, all they could see was the top of the mountain drop off and the clear blue sky surrounding them. They joined the stream of people exiting the bus, excitedly chatting about their sight-seeing trips. 

“I’m glad we got to take a bus,” said Kaito, stretching to loosen his stiff joints. “Last time I was on a mountain, I had to climb an active volcano.”

The observatory was an impressive building, but, like Maki had said, it’s true purpose was more enjoyable if it were night. With that in mind, most of the other people who were on the bus were more excited about the view from the top of the mountain. But, for Kaito, nothing else mattered at the moment than staring at that building. 

“This doesn’t look like a trial ground,” Himiko stated after looking around. “Everything here looks modern. Aren’t the trial grounds supposed to be old?”

“The Fire challenge was on top of the volcano,” Kaito reminded her. “But the path to it was guarded so no tourists could go past. I’m sure they have something similar here. The mountaintop is clearly visible, and I don’t see the arch, so it must be somewhere else.”

Maki frowned as Kaito and Himiko wandered around the parking lot. She and Himiko had yet to see a trial ground, but, based on what Kaito had described, it was a remote area that regular individuals, especially tourists, couldn’t access. Here, tourists and visitors were freely entering the observatory and exploring the top of mountain. 

“Wait,” she spoke aloud when she saw something noteworthy. “The ruins on Akala had pink around their entrance. What are the other colors?”

“Red, yellow, and purple,” Kaito replied. “Why?”

Maki directed their attention to the main doorway of the observatory. The four colors found on the trial arches decorated the edges of the door. Kaito let out a bark of excitement and congratulated Maki, giving her a tight hug that she struggled to escape. The trio joined the visitors entering the building, Kaito immediately marveling at the lobby area full of star charts and displays of machinery and planets. While Kaito and Himiko admired the displays, Maki looked around the lobby until she spied another doorway, this time with the four colors above the lintel. She purposefully strode to it, glancing around as if she were daring anyone to stop her; however, her path was blocked by the door itself refusing to open.

“Kaito,” she called him over. “Hold up your Z-Ring to this scanner.”

There was a scanner installed in the wall next to the door. It had a scanning screen instead of a barcode reader for a badge or ID card. Kaito held his wrist to the scanner, a light flickering over his Z-Ring. The door didn’t open immediately, almost leading the trio to believe it didn’t work, but then the two panels slid open, allowing them through. The hallway they stepped into didn’t look any different from the design of the rest of the observatory’s interior; although, there were some strange designs painted on the walls. The end of the hall opened into a strange, circular room, a bizarre machine standing in the center. 

Maki looked up to see the circular room conjoined into a dome, and that there was a ledge wrapping around the entirety of the room. The four colors adorned the ledge, each leading into the other. It may look different from what the others described the trial grounds they encountered looking, but the prevalence of the four colors indicated this was a trial ground. A different kind of trial ground, but one all the same. 

The machine in the center of the room pulsed, a jolt of electricity crackling between small rods poking out of its surface. Kaito stepped closer— although had the good mind to keep a safe distance— and saw two small orbs, gray with yellow and brown markings, were sitting in divots of the machine. The machine pulsed again, the electricity funneling into the two orbs. Suddenly, the orbs reared up, revealing they were both Togedemaru.

“Kaito,” Himiko spoke, “I think the Z-Crystal in your pocket is glowing.”

Indeed, it was when Kaito checked. The Rockium Z was glowing bright enough that its light could be seen through the fabric of his pocket. Kaito pulled it out and held it flat in his hand. The machine pulsed more harshly, the Togedemaru absorbing the electricity. The Rockium Z glowed brighter, the machine somehow responding and generating more electricity. The amount began to overwhelm the two Togedemaru, who whimpered as the excess currents they couldn’t absorb began to spark and crackle in the air. Kaito, Maki, and Himiko backed away from the machine, pressing themselves against the walls. The Togedemaru jumped out of the machine, causing the electricity to contort wildly between the machine’s rods. Suddenly, the machine split apart and disappeared into the floor, revealing a very large Togedemaru sleeping within.

“The Totem,” said Kaito, the Togedemaru uncurling and facing them. “Who’s it going to be?”

Wordlessly, Maki threw out a Pokéball, her Marowak materializing from the flash of light. The Togedemaru stared curiously at Marowak, most likely used to seeing Alolan Marowak and the Kantonian variant. Marowak pointed his bone at the Totem, offering himself as a challenger.

“Use Bone Club,” Maki ordered.

_Strike hard and fast._

The Togedemaru curled up and rolled out of the way, barely dodging Marowak’s bone. The Totem uncurled and unleashed a column of electricity, the bolts of energy raining down on Marowak. After the flashes of light cleared, Marowak smirked and dusted his shoulder, startling the Togedemaru.

“Bonemerang!”

Marowak hurled his bone across the room, striking Togedemaru in the face. The Totem fell on its bac, rocking back and forth and dazed from the impact. Maki almost believed the hit had been an automatic knockout, but Togedemaru rolled back to its feet. The fur between its ears shimmered and it dashed forward, headbutting Marowak with an Iron Head attack. Marowak grunted from the impact, but, due to type-advantages, he recovered quickly, headbutting Togedemaru back. The Totem rolled a safe distance away, steadying itself on its feet.

“Use Bonemerang” Maki directed again. 

If Marowak could get in one more effective strike, she was sure it would end the battle. However, Togedemaru had wised up since the last Bonemerang. It curled into a ball, its spikes standing on end. The bone hit it but rebounded with a force that hit Marowak in the shoulder. His bone clattered to the floor, but he rushed to grab it just as Togedemaru uncurled.

“Stomping Tantrum!” Kaito suddenly yelled. Maki turned to look at him in shock, both because of his sudden intrusion into the battle and because Marowak obeyed without a second thought.

Marowak roared, his body glowing with energy as he dashed forward and slammed into Togedemaru. The Totem squealed as it was thrown back so hard it crashed into the wall, falling flat on the floor. For a few tense minutes, it didn’t get up. Just as Maki began to genuinely worry about its health, the Togedemaru heaved itself back to its feet, stumbling toward the center of the room where the machine began to rise out of the floor again. It collapsed, the machine closing around it. The two regular-sized Togedemaru came scampering back to the machine. One took its place back in a divot, while the other deposited an Electrium Z on the floor before settling in to hibernate once more.

“Good job, Maki and Marowak!” Kaito congratulated.

“Why did you intrude into the battle?” Maki asked him while Himiko picked up the Z-Crystal.

“Well,” Kaito awkwardly scratched the back of his head, “Stomping Tantrum is twice as powerful if the user’s previous attack missed. I thought because the Bonemerang was rebounded, it might count as a miss.”

“Mission accomplished,” said Himiko, handing the Z-Crystal to Maki.

“Job’s finished, time for fun!” Kaito cheered. “Let’s go back to lobby. I saw a chart of constellations— you’ll like that, Himiko. There was also a display breaking down the science of the telescope— do you think they’ll let us see the telescope itself? If I show them my Z-Ring? It got us past the guard to the Fire trial and through the door to this trial.”

Maki sighed as she returned Marowak to his Pokéball, secretly allowing herself to crack a small smile at her boyfriend’s enthusiasm.

*Route 13*

“Help! I’m losing it!” Shuichi shouted, clinging tightly to the Mudsdale’s mane. His Mudsdale refused to stop, only interested in keeping up with the rest of its herd, who were carrying the rest of Shuichi’s friends. Shuichi gave up in holding the reins and just grabbed the horn of the saddle, hanging on for dear life.

Thankfully, Rantaro, who had led the charge, finally halted his Mudsdale, leading the other Mudsdale to stop as well. Shuichi exhaled shakily and swung his leg over to slide down his mount’s side, only for his other foot to slip out of the stirrup and his body to drop to the ground in a puff of dust.

“Shuichi!” Kaede jumped off her Mudsdale with a little more grace than Shuichi had and ran over to check he was okay.

“I’m okay,” he assured her. “I’ve never ridden a Mudsdale before.”

“You should have paired up with someone else like Phantom and Ryoma did.”

“Where are we?” Tsumugi slid down her Mudsdale’s side, looking around the small oasis they had found themselves in.

After the rocky and rough terrain of Route 12 they’d been forced to traverse on the backs of Mudsdale, this was a nice change of scenery. They were in a clearing with a small pond and palm trees, several trailers arranged in a circle along the edges of the clearing, as well as a hotel. There were people mingling with one another, sharing drinks and stories while they lounged in chairs or blankets laid out on the ground. The rest of Shuichi’s friends dismounted and turned the Mudsdale loose. According to owners of the stable where they rented them from, the Mudsdale would return on their own.

“ _Alola!_ ” Kaede walked up to a pair of people outside one of the trailers. “Can you tell us what this place is?”

“An oasis for travelers,” one of them replied. “The north exit leads to the Haina Desert, while the west leads to Tapu Village.”

“Perfect!” Kaede returned to her friends with the news. “So, who would like to go to Haina Desert? Angie said that’s where the Steel Z-Crystal is.”

“Right here!” Tenko held up her hand like she was back in school. “My Fighting-types will crush that Totem! They didn’t get a battle last time.”

“I’ll come too,” Tsumugi offered. “Rock and Ground-types are common in deserts, so Gloom will be useful, and Salandit’s a Fire-type who can poison Steel-types.”

Shuichi couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the prospect of sending two of his friends into a desert, even though no one else, including the two girls, who filled extra bottles of water at the oasis, seemed to mind. His friends were risking so much for him and Kaito. They didn’t need to be here; this was a situation where only he and Kaito had something to lose, but, through thick and thin, the rest of their friends stayed beside them. He wanted to offer the ti leaf Angie had given him for good luck but was worried it might jinx them. Sort of like vocally wishing someone luck; that’s why Kaede always said “break a leg.”

“Crack a rib!” Miu shouted after the two disappearing figures.

*Haina Desert*

Tsumugi had expected there to be fierce, sandy winds that would score their skin, but the large cliffs offered shelter from the breeze blowing in from the ocean, meaning the desert, which was nothing more than a pocket in the side of the mountain, was relatively calm. Unfortunately, this also meant she and Tenko weren’t feeling the refreshing breeze and the motionless air sat stagnant and stifling. Salandit and Combusken didn’t seem to mind too much, since they were Fire-types and the former came from an area covere din lava vents. Salandit walked beside his new trainer, occasionally spacing his limbs out a little more so the sand would scratch his belly as he walked, sharp eyes catching the subtle movements in the sand that signaled a Pokémon was nearby.

“Steel is weak to Ground,” said Tenko. “I don’t know why a Steel-type Pokémon would want to be surrounded by its weakness.”

Realizing Tenko was just thinking out loud, Tsumugi hummed in response. Based on the map in the pamphlet, the Haina Desert wasn’t very large, but it was a desert all the same. The last thing they wanted to do was get lost in it. Since the pedestal was stated to be in a small alcove along the barrier, Tsumugi had recommended a trick she knew to use in mazes. At the beginning of the maze, one puts their hand on a wall and continuously follows that wall. Even if it leads to a dead end, one must continue following the wall they’re touching. Eventually, it would lead them to exit. So, the two girls and their Pokémon walked along one of rocky walls, following its every curve and divot. As time passed and the sun began to move from the center of the sky, the wall also offered some much-appreciated shade.

“We should have had one of the other lend us a Water Pokémon,” Tsumugi commented as she finished one of their water bottles. They needed to be careful with their supplies, even though the other graciously lent them extra bottles. But neither girl was used to the stagnant heat, and Tsumugi wasn’t all that used to the exercise.

“Lapras and Octillery wouldn’t be able to move on the sand,” Tenko responded.

“I’d carry Octillery on my shoulders if it meant he’d keep me cool.”

They rounded an outcrop that almost looked like a pillar of stone and stopped short upon seeing a narrow crack in the wall, the trial arch marking it. After squeezing through, they found themselves in a clearing, nearly surrounded by the rock wall on all sides, the pedestal standing ominously in the center.

“Be on your guard,” Tenko warned her Combusken. 

Tenko herself was eyeing the walls, remembering how she and Ryoma had been surprised by the waves of Yungoos and Alolan Rattata crawling down the walls of the hollow in Verdant Cavern. Meanwhile, Tsumugi was watching the sand beneath their feet. If the Totem was a pure Steel-type, it was unlikely is would appear in the sand, but if it was a dual-type, it would most likely be part Rock or Ground, given the location of its trial grounds. 

Tenko and Combusken took a step towards the pedestal and stopped, looking around for any sign of life. They took another and paused again. They continued to move in this manner until they reached the pedestal. Still not confident the Totem wasn’t coming, Tenko tapped the pedestal and jumped back. 

“Do you see anything?” she whispered as loud as she dared to Tsumugi.

“No,” Tsumugi whispered back.

Tenko tapped the pedestal again. Still nothing. After letting out a huff, she finally reached to grab the Z-Crystal. Salandit suddenly hissed loudly, the orange marking on his back blazing as he waved his tail. A large mound of sand suddenly shot towards Tenko, the abrupt activity startling her enough that she dropped the crystal onto the sand. The mound shrunk, indicating the Pokémon went deeper underground, before it vanished, but the Z-Crystal disappearing into the sand betrayed its position. Tenko and Combusken jumped a few feet away just as the Totem erupted from the sand. Three heads, each bearing a unique style of luxurious-looking blond hair, observed the challengers for the Z-Crystal.

“Is that… a Dugtrio?” said Tsumugi, completely mystified by the Pokémon’s strange appearance. “Don’t start the fight yet! I need to get a picture. The one in the middle kind of looks like Gonta!”

Combusken screeched a challenge at the Alolan Dugtrio, poising her talons for battle. The Dugtrio chittered angrily, throwing sand into the air as it burrowed underground. Tenko and Combusken backed away, frantically looking around the battlefield. 

“Combusken, when you see it come up, use Brick Break,” said Tenko.

A column of sand shot into the air, Dugtrio barreling out. Combusken squawked but managed to collect herself just in time to hit the middle Dugtrio’s head. Her attack managed to stop the Totem in its tracks, the other two heads staring at the third in concern. They must have noticed Combusken was distracted by their behavior, because they suddenly launched a Mud Bomb attack that knocked Combusken back.

“Hey!” Tenko shouted. “That was cheap!”

“Tenko, get back!” Tsumugi ordered. “Salandit, use Flame Burst!”

Combusken hadn’t been able to get out of the way, but she was a Fire-type and only caught the resulting embers. The Dugtrio took the full brunt of the strike, each head’s hair looking slightly singed. The three heads glared at Salandit, who mocked them with an open-mouthed hissing laughter. The Totem let out a noise of displeasure, several columns of sand erupting around it. Tenko shrieked and fled the battlefield, her, Tsumugi, Combusken, and Salandit all jumping onto rocks or clinging to the stone wall to avoid the Earth Power attack. 

“Poison Gas!” Tsumugi directed Salandit, who was hanging onto a rocky outcrop.

Salandit hissed and opened his mouth, a purplish haze streaming forth. The Dugtrio retreated underground to avoid the gas, but Salandit jumped off the wall and scurried over, belching another Poison Gas attack down the hole. The Totem burst up from the sand, squealing as wisps of the Poison Gas followed from underground. 

“Double Kick!” Tenko shouted.

Combusken leapt off her rock and dashed to Dugtrio, delivering the Fighting attack while the Totem was still winded. Since he was right there, Salandit also spit forth a few Embers, further injuring Dugtrio. With a defeated cry, the Alolan Dugtrio sank back into the sand and didn’t come back up. The sand near the pedestal shifted as the Z-Crystal rose back to the surface. Salandit waddled over and snapped it up in his mouth, happily delivering it to his trainer.

“Good work, team!” Tenko praised. “I’ll bet we completed this trial in record time. Let’s get back to the others in Tapu Village.”

“You know, by the time we get out of here, it’ll be late, and we don’t know how far Tapu Village is. Why don’t we stay the night at the hotel near the oasis?” Tsumugi suggested.

*Tapu Village*

“What happened here!?” Kaede gasped.

It looked as if an old town once stood here, the stone foundations of buildings still placed strategically in the ground with moss and ferns growing on them. There was a Pokémon Center among the ruins, and people, mostly construction workers, were milling about. Other than that, there was little else to look at. There was a chain-link fence blocking what looked like was once a path towards the water.

“Nothing happened here,” said one of the workers. “This is Tapu Village. Long ago, the citizens of this village angered Tapu Bulu and, in his rage, he destroyed the village. The ruins remain as a testament to the power the Tapu are capable of unleashing.”

“Wow,” Phantom scoffed, “and the people still choose to worship these things?”

“You don’t know what the people did,” Shuichi responded. “Maybe it was something that deserved punishment.”

Phantom huffed in response and rubbed his arms. Shuichi couldn’t help but copy the motion. There was a chill in the air and he was surprised he couldn’t see his breath. Why was it so much colder here than where they just came from?

“Where does that go?” Rantaro asked, pointing to a path marked with two statues leading toward the mountain.

“Mount Lanakila,” said a new voice. 

Shuichi inhaled sharply in surprise as Nagisa stepped out of the Pokémon Center and walked toward them. The boy’s pale features almost seemed to glow without the blinding whiteness of Aether Paradise. He still wore his lab coat but changed his shoes to ones more appropriate for exploring the wilderness and had a backpack on. He also had on a strange visor that his eyes could clearly be seen through.

“Nagisa?” said Shuichi. “What are you doing here?”

“Aren’t you a little far from home?” Phantom added.

For some reason, Nagisa reacted with more shock than Shuichi had expected him to, but he wiped his features clean in an instant. “I’m staying at Aether House for the time being, one of our research bases.”

“Shuichi, who is this?” Kaede asked.

“This is Nagisa, he’s a scientist for the Aether Foundation,” Shuichi explained.

“This little squirt?” Miu laughed. “What does he research? Stilts and stepladders? Looks like you hit the jackpot, Ryoma.” But Ryoma just grunted dismissively, leading Shuichi to believe he wasn’t going to bother in responding to Miu’s needling. 

“You said this was the path to Lanakila?” Kaede asked Nagisa, indicating the path Rantaro had pointed out.

“That is correct,” Nagisa nodded.

“Okay,” Kaede raised her voice to get everyone’s attention, “who wants to climb a mountain for the Icium Z?”

“I’ve got this,” Phantom affirmed. “Hey meathead, wanna come with?”

“Okay!” Gonta cheerfully replied, missing the derogatory name Phantom had called him by.

“I’ll come too,” Ryoma offered. At first, Shuichi wondered why. He didn’t know if Ryoma had any desire to explore, especially on a snow-covered mountain that would obviously cause him some difficulty in traversing. Whenever Ryoma went to different regions for tournaments, he rarely talked about if he explored the cities or countryside. He didn’t have that much of a thirst for adventure. But, Shuichi had his answer for Ryoma’s insistence in accompanying Gonta and Phantom when he whispered, “I don’t trust that kid,” gesturing subtly to Phantom.

“You’re participating in the Island Challenge?” Nagisa asked. “I thought you were looking for your Pokémon.”

“One will hopefully lead to the other,” Shuichi responded.

“Well…” Nagisa looked like he was contemplating his next words. “Do you have a place to stay? This portion of the island is colder than the rest because of the path to mountain acting as a funnel for the cold air.”

“We could stay at the Pokémon Center,” Kaede suggested.

“There’s plenty of room at Aether House since I’m by myself,” Nagisa offered. “It’s over that way.”

“I doubt we’ll be able to return before it gets dark,” said Ryoma. “We’ll probably spend the night on the mountain, but the rest can go with you.”

Ryoma, Gonta, and Phantom waved goodbye, the dirt and rock of the path crunching under their feet as they headed toward the mountain. Phantom had clambered up Gonta’s back and was riding on his shoulders, causing Gonta’s figure to appear even more unnaturally tall as their features faded into general human shapes before vanishing from sight. Now, all who was left were Shuichi, Kaede, Rantaro, Miu, and Keebo.

“Why did you offer your research base?” Shuichi asked Nagisa as the group hiked out of Tapu Village. 

“I felt bad about you,” Nagisa replied bluntly. “You looked really sad and pathetic, but you’re doing everything you can to find your Pokémon, and that’s admirable.”

“Thanks,” Shuichi griped.

*Mount Lanakila*

Phantom breathed on the window of the boxed elevator and drew a quick doodle in the fog. The elevator trundled steadily up the rail, taking them higher and higher. Unfortunately, due to the elevator’s location on the south side of the mountain, there wasn’t too much to look at, and most of it they had already seen on their journey to Tapu Village.

“I feel like this island is less green than Akala,” Gonta stated.

“Shuichi said the area he, Kaito, and Tsumugi went to was pretty barren,” Ryoma responded. “I’m sure there are lush areas. Remember the Malie gardens?”

The elevator halted, and the doors slid open with a swishing sound. There wasn’t any snow on the rocky path before them, but there was frost and noticeable biting chill in the air. Phantom took a deep breath and had to force himself not to cough as the cold air stabbed his throat and lungs. There might have been slightly cooler air in Tapu Village, but this was significantly colder. 

_One wouldn’t expect snow on a tropical island. Why did I volunteer for this again? Why am I here at all? I don’t know these people. Oh wait, I’m here to stop the traffickers. These knuckleheads will eventually get to Poni Island where we can take action. Yeah, that’s it._

At least, that was the reason he told himself. It wasn’t like he was going soft and sympathized with Mister Detective and Starboy.

“Gontaaaa,” Phantom whined, “I’m cold.”

Gonta gasped and scooped the smaller boy into his arms, cradling him against his chest. Ryoma sighed and shook his head as he walked ahead of the other two. It was a little difficult to breathe due to the altitude and the cold air. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to climb to the top of the mountain to find the pedestal.

“Snow!” Gonta suddenly exclaimed.

Indeed, a small patch of snow sat on a rock in the shade. Around a small curve in the path, there was another patch. As they kept going, more and more snow began to reveal itself until, eventually, they reached an open curve where a Pokémon Center sat, and light snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Gonta happily reached out to catch a few flakes on his hand, watching them melt almost instantly, but Phantom and Ryoma were dreadfully aware of how cold it was becoming.

“I didn’t come to a tropical island and expect to be tromping through the snow,” Phantom complained.

“Tromping? You’re being carried princess-style,” Ryoma responded. “But let’s stop at the Pokémon Center. Who knows? They might have some warm clothes for sale.”

It was pleasantly warm in the Pokémon Center, the scent of hot cocoa and cider wafting in the air. Most of the people inside were construction workers who were working jobs on the mountain such as maintaining the elevator and restructuring tunnels. Phantom jumped out of Gonta’s arms and raced to the café, followed closely by Gonta himself.

“Excuse me,” Ryoma got the attention of one of the nurses behind the counter, “by any chance, are there any winter clothes here for purchase?”

“Island Challenge?” she asked.

“A variation of it.”

“We have a collection of winter jackets and pants on loan for trial-goers. Our only rule is the clothes must be returned when you come back down the mountain.” She walked out from behind the counter and led him to the dining area close to the café, where there were a couple chests and coat racks, like a lost and found. “Who are we fitting for?”

“Myself, the purple-haired kid, and the tall one with tangled hair,” Ryoma pointed his two friends out.

“Oh,” she faltered. “I don’t think we have anything that will fit the tall one.”

“That’s okay. He didn’t seem too bothered by the cold. And the purple-haired kid is the only one who needs close-toed shoes.”

Phantom and Gonta wandered over, having gotten some hot drinks from the café to sip on. What garments were needed were handed out for the trek into the mountain. According to the nurse, there was a clearly marked path to the peak, and the trial grounds were on a small side path. Then she offhandedly mentioned bringing a Steel-type, which confused the group since Fire-types were usually the first thing that came to mind when one thought of an elemental type to use against Ice. While Ryoma and Gonta brushed it off, since Steel was a type that was strong against Ice, Phantom took a mental note.

It was torture leaving the warmth of the Pokémon Center for the cold outside, only mitigated slightly by the added winter clothing some of them were wearing. The path led into a cave opening in the mountain and they quickly rushed to get undercover. It was better to be sheltered from the wind and snow in such conditions. The cave tunnel was carved through the stone of the mountain, but the stone was covered in a thick layer of ice, giving the tunnel a mirror-like appearance. The trio’s feet crunched against snow and gravel placed on the floor of the tunnel for traction. As the nurse had said, the main path was obvious, so they didn’t need to worry about getting lost on the mountain.

“Look there,” Ryoma pointed to a large crack in the stone. 

It was the first thing they had come across on the path that was different. While Ryoma and Phantom got through just fine, Gonta struggled to squeeze himself through the crack and had to be pulled. Past the opening, the path was narrow but wide enough for him to traverse on his own without too much trouble. The path looked as if it were meant to be hidden, as it wasn’t nearly as well-maintained as the tunnel was. It dropped suddenly in several places, forcing the trio to steady themselves with their hands on the ice-covered walls. After what seemed like hours, they finally emerged into an open cave, a rope dyed in the four colors hanging above the pedestal standing on the end opposite of them. There were innocuous piles of snow along the walls and, when the investigated, smalls cracks in the ceiling that might be the source of the snow drifts building over time. Gonta tried to reach out for the Icium Z, but Phantom slapped his hand away.

“Don’t drop your guard,” he warned, releasing Silver the Absol from his Pokéball. “The Totem Pokémon could jump us at any second.”

As he said this, Ryoma noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. As if on cue, one of the snow drifts shuddered and fell away from the body within rising. Ryoma and Gonta backed away to the wall while Silver and Phantom stood their ground. The rest of the snow was shaken off, revealing a very large Alolan Ninetales. It blinked a couple times, as if clearing the sleep from its eyes, and regarded its newest challengers.

 _Alolan Ninetales gains a Fairy-typing upon evolving,_ Phantom realized. _No wonder that nurse recommended a Steel-type. Silver doesn’t know any Steel-type attacks and his elemental type is weak to Fairy._

But not one to call it quits until he’d read the situation, Phantom ordered Silver to assume a battling stance anyway. Alolan Ninetales accepted the challenge and stepped away from the wall. 

“Silver, use Psycho Cut!” Phantom ordered.

The edge of Silver’s horn lit up with energy, forming a scythe-like projectile that he threw at the Ninetales. Ninetales crouched to avoid the brunt of the attack, but still took a strike to the shoulder. It stood up and unleashed an Ice Beam attack that sent Phantom and Silver running. 

“Use Swords Dance!”

Silver threw his head back, his fur shimmering as he collected energy to boost his attack power. Ninetales stomped one foot on the stone floor, a wave of iridescent light emerging and rushing toward Silver. The Absol tried to jump clear, but the light swept over him, leaving him shuddering in pain.

 _Shit._ Phantom grimaced, narrowing his eyes at the Totem Pokémon. With a flourish, he pulled back the sleeve of his borrowed jacket, exposing his Mega Ring. Silver’s Keystone glowed in unison with Phantom’s. The Absol was enveloped in a blinding light, intensified by the ice-covered walls reflecting the light back. When the light cleared, a Mega Absol stood in his place. Alolan Ninetales took a step back, not recognizing what just happened.

“Flamethrower!”

Flames didn’t erupt from Silver’s mouth; rather, they almost seemed to form into a small vortex in front of his mouth from the air before collecting and bursting forth into a column of fire. The flames overtook Ninetales and managed to melt some of the ice covering the walls. The attack was a powerful one and Ninetales stumbled from the hit, nearly falling to the exposed stone floor. But the fight wasn’t over yet. Its head lifted, and eyes glinted with determination. Light particles collected in its mouth and unleashed as a Hyper Beam. It hit Silver directly, forcing him back, his claws digging into the stone.

 _If Silver holds out, he can deliver a final blow,_ Phantom thought. _Ninetales won’t be able to move after expending that much energy._

Silver managed to stay standing but was obviously struggling after taking the Hyper Beam and Dazzling Gleam attacks directly. He panted heavily and shook his head, his wing-like mane shaking as well. 

“Alright Silver, use Giga Impact!”

This was their last chance, Silver wouldn’t have the energy to continue after this attack. The Mega Absol summoned the rest of his vigor and charged forward, his body almost a blur. Ninetales saw him coming but couldn’t move. He hit directly, sending the Totem Pokémon into the wall, leaving it to collapse into a pile on the floor. Silver locked his legs to stay standing, but his entire body shuddered and trembled. Alolan Ninetales managed to lift its head and stare directly at Silver before conceding defeat and stayed down.

Phantom hurried across the cave floor, now that it was devoid of ice, and picked up the Icium Z. Silver was enveloped in light once more, his regular form emerging when the light faded. He collapsed immediately after. Phantom returned him to his Pokéball; Silver would be fine once they reached the Pokémon Center. Gonta pulled a berry from his pocket and set it in front of the Alolan Ninetales.

“Since I am the winner, I demand another hot chocolate as my reward. Let's go! Let's go!" Phantom urged.

“Will we have enough time to stop and get down the mountain?” Gonta asked.

“Once the sun goes down, it’ll be too cold to keep walking around in the snow,” said Ryoma. “Let’s spend the night at the Pokémon Center and head down the mountain in the morning. We know the others are at Aether House and that kid said it wasn’t too far away. We’ll meet up with them in the morning.”

*Aether House*

Aether House reminded Shuichi of Paradise in its décor. It was mostly white, almost blinding, with very sterile furnishings. The front room had a reception desk with two doors on either side. The right door led to the bedrooms, while the left went to a living area with a kitchen, a table, and some couches and armchairs around a television.

“You can drop your belongings off in the bedrooms,” Nagisa directed.

“Actually,” Rantaro cut in, “Miu and I were thinking we’d go directly to Route Fifteen while we still have sunlight. Anyone else want to come?”

“Not really,” Kaede mumbled. “Last trial I took, I was almost crushed and drowned by a giant bug.”

Miu looked like she wanted to know more, but Rantaro pushed her out the door, promising they would be back soon. Route Fifteen was a stone’s throw away, so he foresaw finding the pedestal and battling the Totem would take up most of their time.

“I call top bunk!” Kaede shouted upon realizing the bedrooms only had bunk beds. She excitedly threw her bag onto the top bunk in the room she would inevitably be sharing with Miu once night struck. The Malie team and Electrium Z team probably wouldn’t make it until tomorrow, and Shuichi wasn’t sure about the Steelium Z and Icium Z teams. It most likely depended on how long their adventures took whether they would make it to Aether House tonight or tomorrow.

*Route 15*

“I thought you already had the Waterium Z?” said Miu.

“We do,” Rantaro answered, just as confused as she was as they stared at the water blocking their path. Angie had said she believed the pedestal was on one of the islet, but could a Psychic-type Pokémon live on such a small area, waiting for trial-goers to show up to challenge it for the Z-Crystal? It had to be a dual-type, and based on the area, he was willing to bet it was dual-typed with Water or Flying.

Rantaro released Lapras and jumped on her shell, offering Miu a hand up. Unlike the cove at Brooklet Hill, there were a lot more obstacles here. Lapras was forced to cautiously pick her way around large boulders poking out of the water while Rantaro stood on her back to check each islet as she swam around them. The area wasn’t very large, so they found the pedestal quickly, tucked away on the furthest islet. Lapras swam as close as she could to allow her two passengers to step onto the small landform. Unlike other trial grounds, the arch was over the pedestal instead of at the entrance to the grounds.

“What do you think it is?” Miu whispered.

“I’m not sure, but it’s not here to stop us.” Rantaro reached out and plucked the Psychium Z from the pedestal, pausing and looking around for any sign of the Totem.

Lapras let out a noise of surprise just as Rantaro was hit in the back of the head with a jet of water. He and Miu spun around to face the water just in time to see a strange fish Pokémon with pink, yellow, blue, and purple scales dive back into the water. They hesitantly approached the edge of the water to see the Pokémon swimming back and forth menacingly. It jumped out of the water again and tagged Miu in the head this time.

“Hey! Fuck off, small fry!” Miu shouted. 

Rantaro leapt onto Lapras’ back, distracting the Pokémon long enough for Miu to clamber on. Lapras started swimming back toward the sand, but the Pokémon blocked her way, clicking its surprisingly-sharp teeth threateningly. Lapras tried to pick up speed and swim around the Pokémon, but it was much smaller and faster than she was, blocking her at every turn.

“Bruxish,” Miu read from the Pokédex app on her phone. “It’s a Water/Psychic-type.”

“It won’t let us leave,” Rantaro realized. “We’ll have to fight it, at least long enough for Lapras to escape.”

“I got this,” Miu said boastfully, releasing both of her Pokémon. Octillery dove into the water while Flaaffy grabbed her trainer’s leg to steady herself. 

“Octillery know Signal Beam and Bullet Seed,” Miu told Rantaro. “And Flaaffy knows a lot of Electric-type attacks. We’ll be out of here in no time.”

“Be careful,” Rantaro warned her. “You shouldn’t use Electric-type attacks unless the Bruxish is jumping out of the water, or you might electrocute Lapras too.”

“Damn.” Miu hadn’t thought about that. 

Octillery suddenly burst from the water, waving one of his tentacles around. Bruxish had sunk its fangs into his tentacle and wasn’t letting go no matter how hard Octillery swung it around.

“Perfect! Octillery, Bullet Seed!”

Octillery aimed his snout directly at Bruxish and bombarded it with Bullet Seeds. Bruxish couldn’t let go in time and was shot off Octillery’s tentacle, flying through the air and splashing down in the water. Lapras took this chance and started swimming as quickly as she could between the boulders before the Totem could collect its bearings. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it far before the Bruxish blocked her path again. Octillery swam up from under Lapras and latched its body around Bruxish, but an Aqua Jet allowed it to escape.

“If you can get Octillery to launch the Bruxish out of the water, Flaaffy can shock it while in the air,” said Rantaro.

 _And I think I have the perfect move to do so._ Miu leaned over and slapped the surface of the water to summon Octillery.

“I want you to use Gunk Shot to throw Bruxish out of the water,” she explained.

Bruxish continued to circle Lapras, nipping at her fins. When Octillery came rushing toward it, the Totem fled toward the rocks. Lapras started swimming forward, drawing Bruxish back out. Octillery sank deeper in the water, aiming his head directly up. Bruxish was a fast swimmer, so he needed to time his attack. As the Totem came racing toward Lapras’s fin, Octillery let loose a Gunk Shot. It hit directly, launching Bruxish out of the water. 

“Thunderbolt!” Miu ordered.

Electricity erupted from Flaaffy and shot towards Bruxish. The damage from the Gunk Shot had winded Bruxish enough that it couldn’t do anything about the Thunderbolt attack. The Totem dropped back into the water with a dismal splash. Lapras stayed still for a few moments, Octillery swimming around her protectively. When she wasn’t nipped anymore, Lapras started swimming again, successfully navigating around the boulders and islets.

“And stay down, you little biting fuck!” Miu shouted at the water.

“Where did he come from?” Rantaro suddenly said, drawing Miu’s attention away from taunting the Totem. 

A mysterious figure dressed in black-and-white was walking rather quickly up the sand, hands stuffed in their pockets. Whoever they were, they had supposedly materialized out of nowhere, neither Rantaro nor Miu recalling seeing or hearing a Pokémon carrying anyone across the water after downing Bruxish. The figure climbed the stairs, heading in the direction of Aether House and Tapu Village.

“Weirdo,” said Miu. “What’s his deal?”

*Aether House*

“Where’s the space-obsessed one?” Nagisa asked suddenly.

Shuichi lifted his head to look at the small boy before facing downward once more to remove his shoes. “He’s looking for the Z-Crystal at Mount Hokulani.”

“Then these are your friends, and the ones who left for Lanakila and Route Fifteen?” Nagisa glanced at Kaede and Keebo, who were both helping themselves to fresh water in the kitchen.

“Only some of them. The rest are all over the island. Some are in the Haina Desert and some are back in Malie City.”

“There’s no Z-Crystal in Malie. What are they doing there?”

“Angie’s trying to find a story her grandmother told her a long time ago. Her grandmother found it in the Malie library archives. We think it might help us when we face the Keala family.”

“What makes you say that?”

Shuichi settled into the comfortable cushions of the couch, his movement causing his Pokéballs to roll out his messenger bag, with Nagisa sitting across from him in an armchair. Shuichi found it odd this young child, who looked to be no older than Masaru, was allowed to stay here on his own and explore the island. But, he did conduct his own research, and was respected by the other employees of the Aether Foundation, so maybe it wasn’t too unbelievable. He couldn’t help but think Nagisa looked like a miniature adult, sitting there in his lab coat.

“I’m guessing you’re unaware of the trafficking problem on the mainland?”

Nagisa’s jaw tightened the slightest bit. “Miss Yukizome explained it to me after she learned it from you. Traffickers are taking Alolan Pokémon from their owners on the mainland and bringing them back here.”

“Correct. Angie and her cousin spoke with Tapu Lele, who said the Keala family was responsible for the trafficking.”

“ _Really?_ ” Nagisa quirked a brow and crossed his arms, obviously not believing Shuichi.

“Before the events of the past few months, I would have reacted the same way,” said Shuichi. “But not anymore. When I first started investigating the traffickers, one of them mentioned a demon from another world that would devour all light. Angie said it sounded like the story of the Pillager of Light.”

In an instant, Shuichi knew Nagisa recognized the name. The boy’s head jerked in surprise, his eyes widening and a slight inhale through his agape mouth were all signs of astonishment. Despite having only met twice, Shuichi had gotten used to Nagisa’s stoic expression, so seeing him so startled was alarming.

“What do you know?” Shuichi asked, his inner detective shining through.

Nagisa tried to control his expressions, but his self-control had failed him. “Remember I told you I researched wormholes?”

“Yes…”

“Well… my research is for a purpose.” Nagisa suddenly gripped the arms of the armchair so tightly his knuckles turned white. “No! You can’t know!”

“Is everything okay?” Kaede and Keebo returned from the kitchen upon hearing Nagisa shout. The small boy jumped out of the chair and turned to them, his eyes dark and a grim frown on his face.

“I think it’s best you leave the islands. You shouldn’t get involved in what’s happening here.”

“All right, that’s it!” Shuichi shouted, also jumping to his feet. “I’m tired of all the cryptic warnings! We get threatened by the Monokubs and then me and all my friends are harassed by them individually! They’re spouting these warnings about us leaving the islands. Well, guess what!? I’m not leaving until I find my Pokémon!”

“Monokubs?” Nagisa whispered, his face somehow paler than it already was. “The Monokubs are chasing you?”

“You know them?” Keebo asked.

Nagisa shook his head back and forth, fingers gripping the fabric of his lab coat “You are in so much danger and you don’t even realize it.”

Shuichi gripped Nagisa’s shoulders and forced the boy to look him in the eye. Kaede was shocked at Shuichi’s abnormal behavior, shocked enough she didn’t step in and pry his fingers off Nagisa.

“What do you know about the Pillager of Light?” Shuichi questioned, his voice coming out low and strained.

Nagisa sighed and shoved Shuichi’s hands off. He strode purposefully to a door off to the side that, when he opened it, revealed it led into the reception area. He came back carrying a thin box, which he placed on the table. The lid slid out of a groove instead of lifting, revealing a document meticulously placed and secured against a plush interior. A musty stench of age wafted from the box once the lid was gone. Nagisa picked up a pair of tweezers that were also in the box, secured by an elastic ban, and used the tool to turn the page of the document, gesturing for Keebo and Kaede to join him and Shuichi at the table. Shuichi picked up the lid of the box and saw there was text carved into it.

**The Pillager of Light**

“The Pillager of Light is real,” Nagisa announced. “The story happened, and I know this because…” he paused, clenching and unclenching his fists. “Because I’m from another world.

“Hundreds of years ago, there existed the Blinding One. It was an entity unlike any other and it traveled from realm to realm, gifting the worlds with light. The original story of the beasts of light, Solgaleo and Lunala, must have occurred after the Blinding One visited this world, as they are the ones who shaped the light into the moon and sun. My ancestors wished to control the light, so they attempted to capture the Blinding One. In their hubris, they tortured the Blinding One and shattered it. Now devoid of the light it once blazed, the Blinding One stole all light from my world in an attempt to mend itself, but it wasn’t enough. The Blinding One began returning to the worlds it had once bestowed its gifts upon to steal back the light. The story of the Pillager of Light… is when it came here.

“The story goes that the Pillager of Light descended from the heavens and consumed all light from this world, plunging it in darkness. Solgaleo and Lunala attempted to fight it, but it absorbed them as well. A representative from each old family, which were newly-formed at the time, called upon the Guardian deities for help. Using the Z-Crystals, these four young trainers fought alongside the deities and were able to free Solgaleo and Lunala, who drove the Pillager of Light away and restored light to the world. Now, the story merely mentions the Pillager of Light descending from the heavens, but the truth is it came from an Ultra Wormhole.”

“Ultra Wormhole?” Kaede repeated.

“Yes, the paths between worlds. No one knows where the Blinding One originated, only that it has existed for a very long time. What it has become now…” Nagisa turned away from the ancient document, as if he were ashamed to look at it.

“Listen,” he continued. “My ancestors did a terrible thing. Our world has been dark ever since and we have devoted our technology to traveling through wormholes and finding a way to restore the light. I came here and found that remnants of the Blinding One’s influence remained. Here, I hoped I could find a way to help my people. But know this: the Blinding One still lives. It is a horrid creature that follows its instincts. All it wants is to mend itself, and it will try to do so in anyway it can. It cannot be reasoned with; it doesn’t know compassion, only pain. We no longer refer to its shell as the Blinding One, now… it is Necrozma.”

“What does this have to do with the Keala family and them stealing our Pokémon?” Shuichi inquired.

“I don’t know, but it must have some link if the traffickers know about the story."

“Can I ask you something?” said Shuichi. “Angie said, in the origin story of the beasts of light, that they came from the stars, just like how Necrozma descended from the heavens. Does that mean…?”

“Yes,” Nagisa confirmed. “Solgaleo and Lunala are also from another world, and they’re not the only ones—,”

The door suddenly slammed open. A figure stood in the doorway, dressed in black-and-white. His hair was divided down the middle, black on his left side and white on his right. The left side of his hair was noticeably longer and covered most of the left half of his face. His mouth was pulled into what seemed like a permanent sneer, more so on his left side, which caused Shuichi to almost believe he was suffering from nerve damage. Sharp teeth glinted in his sneer.

“Hello there,” he spoke in an uncharacteristically high voice. It might have been funny if everything else about him wasn’t so terrifying. “I’ll be taking those Z-Crystals now.”

Shuichi dove for his Pokéballs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The timeline for this chapter might be a little confusing since the perspective jumps around and recounts things happening before jumping back to recount what was happening to someone else around the same time. Basically, everyone arrived at Ula’Ula Island around lunchtime and they eat in the gardens. The group left Malie City, leaving behind Angie, Kiyo, and Kirumi. Kaito, Maki, and Himiko split off early to catch the bus to Hokulani, while the rest of the group ventured through Route 11 and 12 (on Mudsdale). Tsumugi and Tenko split off to go to Haina Desert, the rest continue to Tapu Village. Kokichi, Ryoma, and Gonta head to Lanakila via the path at Tapu Village, while Shuichi, Kaede, Keebo, Rantaro, and Miu went to Aether House, but the latter two left immediately to get the Psychium Z because it was late afternoon by that point. All of this happens in one day, and the next chapter will pick up the following morning.
> 
> Author’s note: I recently got a new job, so updates will change to every other Wednesday or maybe even longer. It takes a lot of time and dedication to write my chapters as long as they are. Thankfully, I have the story planned out, so all I have to do is write it down and not struggle to come up with the next plot point.


	14. Showdown in Po Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group chases Monokuma to Po Town to retrieve their stolen Z-Crystals, meeting new allies along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 14: Showdown in Po Town

“Perhaps there’s another branch location? Or a vault somewhere for the fragile documents. Or—,”

“Kiyo,” Kirumi gently interrupted him, “we scoured the archives. The document wasn’t there.”

Kiyo sighed and finally relented to the truth. He had been excited about the prospect of finding a missing piece of Alolan history, only for reality to come crashing down. The story of the Pillager of Light was gone.

“So, I guess that trip was all for nothing?” Tenko stated bluntly.

Maki, Kaito, and Himiko had taken the bus back down Mount Hokulani and met up with Angie, Kiyo, and Kirumi outside of Malie City. After using the same Mudsdale their friends had used the day before to get through Route 12, Tenko and Tsumugi rejoined them after flagging them down from the hotel on Route 13. Now, the partially reformed group was making their way to Tapu Village to meet with the rest of their friends.

As soon they spied the ruins of the village that fell to Tapu Bulu’s rage long ago, the temperature dropped several degrees. Tenko and Tsumugi were the ones who noticed it immediately, having spent the previous day in a desert. There was an eeriness that almost seemed to choke the air as they passed the ruins of a town, full of people, that stood here long ago before the rage of Tapu Bulu stamped it out. Kaito, who had been at the head of the group, stopped short upon seeing Gonta sitting outside of the Pokémon Center. Gonta jumped to his feet when he saw his friends and raced over, his expression frantic.

“Hurry! Something’s wrong!” he urged them, taking off in the other direction.

Everyone immediately started running after him. The path led out from Tapu Village, winding along the coast, until it stopped at a strange-looking building. The building was extravagant, pure white and standing proud against the foot of Mount Lanakila. But one of the double doors was kicked in, while the other was hanging off one hinge. Gonta raced up the steps and into the building, hinting that it was safe to enter despite the ominous ambience. The floor of the front reception room was covered in gouges and scratches. The left door, which led into a living room area, was ripped out of the wall and lying on the floor. The living room was absolute chaos. The sofa and armchairs were knocked over, their cushions torn up with deep lacerations. A television that once stood on a short stand had been knocked to the floor, its screen shattered completely. Most horrific of all, were specks of blood on the floor and walls.

“What is this place?” Kaito asked.

“Aether House,” Ryoma answered, appearing from the kitchen area. “When we arrived in Tapu Village, some kid who knew Shuichi offered this place for them to stay.”

“A kid?” Kaito repeated. “Wait, did he have blue hair and a lab coat?”

“Yes.”

Phantom suddenly popped up from behind the upended sofa, scrambling over the piece of furniture to present his findings: a clump of light brown fur. Maki snatched it from his grasp, her eyes widening in horror upon realizing there were only two Pokémon the fur could have come from based on which trainers had made it this far: Scout and Lumine. 

“What happened here?” Angie whispered, the dread clear in her voice. “Tapu Bulu? Have you been angered once more?”

“Were you three the last to see the others who came here?” Tsumugi asked Gonta, Ryoma, and Phantom.

“Yeah,” Phantom replied. “We went up Mount Lanakila. Kaede, Rantaro, Mega-slut, Kee-boy, and Mister Detective went with that Nagisa kid and he brought them here. We came down the mountain early this morning and found this place already like this and no one was here.”

Kaito and Tenko started picking items off the floor, looking for clues indicating what happened to their friends, before Ryoma stopped them by explaining the place had already been thoroughly searched. Other than the fur Phantom found, there wasn’t any clear sign their friends had even been here. The blood could have been anyone’s, and they would have hoped nothing dire had happened to their friends, but the fur meant, at least, Shuichi and his Pokémon were here at some point.

“Hey!” someone shouted. Everyone whirled around, ready to fight if the perpetrator of this mess had returned. But the intruder turned out to be Rantaro, looking beaten and disheveled. His hair was scruffier than normal, there were dark bags under his eyes, and his skin looked ashen and pale. He was trembling as he stood, a wild expression on his face. Small black particles were sticking to the bottoms of his shoes and the knees of his pants, falling off as he quivered. His pant legs up to his knees also appeared to be damp.

“Rantaro.” Kiyo quickly approached him, but Rantaro backed away almost fearfully. “What happened?”

“I… I don’t know what I saw… but it was…” Rantaro furiously shook his head back and forth, like he was trying to rattle the memory out of his head. “Miu and I went to get the Psychium Z and…and when we came back…”

“Where are the others?” Maki asked in a firm tone.

Rantaro stopped trembling for a moment, staring at her with a mystified expression. “We… we ran away. That thing… We didn’t have a choice. We hid for the night.”

Wordlessly, he turned away and walked out of Aether House as if in a trance. Their worry concerning his mental state caused the group of friends to hesitate, but they ultimately followed him. In the short time they had investigated Aether House, a dark cloud had rolled in and flecks of fat raindrops were beginning to fall. Rantaro walked with a stumble in his pace, wavering slightly and nearly tripping in some strange holes outside that looked to be footprints. He led them back to Tapu Village but changed direction on its border to walk down the gentle incline to the black sand beach. The rain began to fall heavier now, soaking into the sand and turning its almost clay-like. In the bay was what looked like was once a very old lighthouse. The structure was crumbled in several places, large chunks having fallen off the lighthouse and into the water, forming almost stepping-stone-like constructions. 

Rantaro removed his shoes and waded into the water. He didn’t bother rolling his pants up, soaking them to the knees once more. He walked through the water until he was able to climb one of the fallen pieces of the lighthouse, jumping to each piece until he was on the foundation of the lighthouse. After exchanging a few worried and confused glances, the others repeated Rantaro’s odd process, removing their shoes and wading into the water. The base of the lighthouse wasn’t very large, and many of them had to stand in the portion partially submerged in ankle-deep water. 

Kaito tried to step through the doorway and barely ducked in time to avoid a large rock (or another piece of the crumbling lighthouse) nearly caving his skull in. He fell back, nearly knocking Himiko off the base. Miu was standing in the doorway, panting heavily like she just sprinted for miles, her hand tightly clutching the rock. 

“Kaito?” The crazed expression in Miu’s eyes faded as she appeared to recognize the people on the submerged doorstep. “Everyone?”

Miu shakily exhaled and dropped the rock. She walked backward into the lighthouse, prompting the others to warily follow her in. The room was circular and wide enough for all them to squeeze into, although Gonta had to stay standing in the doorway. Keebo, Kaede, and Shuichi were sitting on the cold, stone floor, huddled together and hugging their Pokémon. Their clothes were ripped, and they were either drenched in water or sweat. Shuichi had a cut on his cheek, the blood dried and crusted.

“Shuichi?” Kaito dropped to his knees and waved his hand in front of his sidekick’s face. “What happened at that building?”

“A man came and unleashed a monster,” Kaede responded instead, her tone haunting and empty. “He took the Z-Crystals. We ran away.”

“Did you know this man?” Maki asked, crouching beside Kaito.

“He looked like the Monokubs,” Shuichi spoke up. “He had the white half in his hair, but he was much more dangerous.”

“Papa Kuma,” Kiyo said suddenly. “Monodam stated he wanted us not to tell Papa Kuma he ran away without fighting. If this individual is Papa Kuma, then he’s the leader of the Monokubs.”

“And they fear him,” Kirumi added. “Which means we probably should as well.”

Shuichi suddenly stood up, Lumine and Scout clutched tightly in his hands. He managed to readjust his grip on the duo enough to free one of his hands and pull out a damp, folded piece of paper out of his pocket. He handed it to Kaito, Phantom observing him through the exchange. Phantom was able to spot a bald patch on Scout’s haunch, which meant the small clump of brown fur he’d found belong to the Eevee.

Kaito unfolded the paper, taking care not to rip it, revealing a smudged drawing of some round creature whose body appeared to be mostly a mouth full of sharp teeth. He passed the drawing around after investigating it.

“How are you feeling?” Ryoma asked the five of the friends who looked to be traumatized beyond saving.

“Scared of what else these islands will subject us to,” Keebo mumbled in reply. 

“What happened?” Angie asked, her voice strangely firm and direct.

“The man said he came for the Z-Crystals,” Shuichi started recounting, his tone empty of any emotion. “I grabbed my Pokéballs and released Lumine and Scout, but the man just sneered at me. Kaede and Keebo also released their Pokémon, and the man still didn’t care. He had one Pokéball— or, something that looked like one. That thing came from it,” he pointed to the drawing, which was now in Tsumugi’s hand.

“It tore the room apart, everything was in chaos, and that man just stood in the center of it all, grinning the entire time. It chased us out and we…” he stumbled over his words, his voice coming out strained. “We left him behind. We ran away and left him behind!”

“Left who?” asked Kaito.

“When Miu and I came back to Aether House,” Rantaro picked up the story, “we saw Keebo, Kaede, and Shuichi running out, that creature lumbering after them. It tried to turn on us, but we ran past it and found our way here. We spent the night in this old lighthouse, hiding from the man and the creature.”

“We abandoned Nagisa!” Shuichi wailed loudly, causing everyone to jump in surprise. “We ran away and left him behind! What if they killed him!? What if he’s captured!?”

“Calm down! Calm down!” Kaede jumped to her feet, her Pokémon scattering. She grabbed Shuichi by the shoulders to hold him, Lumine and Scout trying to lick their trainer’s face.

“Yeah,” Kaito added, “Nagisa’s smart; he’s a ten-year-old scientist. I’m sure he can take care of himself, especially if the Aether Foundation lets him explore the islands by himself.”

“You didn’t see that thing,” Rantaro responded. “You didn’t see what it could do. It ripped apart Aether House just for some Z-Crystals. All we have left are the crystals we collected from yesterday.”

“Electric, Steel, Ice, and Psychic,” Keebo listed.

“And Rock!” Kaito announced, pulling the Rockium Z from his pocket. “Come on everyone! We’re not just gonna give up, are we? If those bastards have Nagisa, we need to rescue him! We have to at least try, right?”

Kaede stared at him with a blank expression, but her misty eyes suddenly cleared. She frowned deeply, a look of anger and determination morphing her features.

“Kaito… you’re right. I’m not ready to give up. I spent a night hiding in an old lighthouse, getting rained on and splashed with sea water, because I was too scared to do anything else. Nagisa might be in danger and I’m through with hiding!”

“But we only have five Z-Crystals left,” Himiko pointed out. “And he stole the rest of ours. He’ll use them against us.”

“We have three Z-Rings,” Phantom countered. “Unless he and all the Monokubs secretly have Z-Rings, I’m sure we’re fine.”

“The Ghostium Z is nearby,” Angie reminded them. “We could have six Z-Crystals for this fight.”

“I’ll go get it,” Kaede volunteered. “The rest of you go to the Pokémon Center in Tapu Village.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Kiyo. “You only have one Ghost-type and are unfamiliar with their behavior.”

*Thrifty Megamart*

“This is where the trial grounds are? Isn’t this a little too... modern?” Kaede raised an eyebrow. The abandoned building looked too modern to be the location of the trial, even if it also looked as if it had been abandoned long ago. Spooky, who was sitting on Kaede’s shoulder, seemed very interested in the building.

“Actually,” Kiyo spoke up, “this building was destroyed when Tapu Village was destroyed. I read about at Malie Library.”

“But I thought Tapu Village was destroyed a long time ago?”

“The old towns tend to incorporate the ancient features of their locations. The stone ruins in Tapu Village were no doubt used as the foundations for both the ancient buildings and the more modern ones. Tapu Village’s destruction happened a lot more recently than you’re thinking it did.”

The two of them entered the Megamart, looking around at the piles of rotting and decaying cardboard boxes and rusty shopping carts. There was an eeriness in the air, but it was different from the ambience of Tapu Village. Tapu Village had a ghost-like quality in that they knew a village full of people and Pokémon once stood there and was violently destroyed, but this place looked like your typical horror movie set. There were no artificial lights, and the overcast sky limited the amount of natural light coming in through the windows. Random items were heaped into piles, moldy and decrepit from their exposure to rainwater dripping through cracks in the ceiling. 

After some investigating, Kaede was intrigued to see none of the items were boxes or cans of food. Those must have been picked clean long ago by either Pokémon or people who survived the aftermath of Tapu Village’s destruction. Kaede pushed a shopping cart out of the way, the rust having consumed it so much that the wheels refused to turn, and she was forced to shove it aside, wiping her hands clean of the rust marks. Kiyo’s Banette stayed beside them, dutifully looking around at things they couldn’t see but knew were there. Ghost Pokémon tended to cause a strange sort of ominous sensation when they were nearby, like electricity. This entire building was, as Miu would say, “red hot.”

“Pika!” 

Kaede gasped at the sight of a Pikachu calmly sitting in the middle of the floor, happily “smiling” at them. She cooed at the sight of the small Pokémon and approached it, crouching and reaching out to pat it on the head. Spooky suddenly began fidgeting, her shadowy claw pulling at Kaede’s hair. Kaede reached up to give her a gentle shove to make her stop but suddenly found herself yanked to her feet by Kiyo.

“What is wrong with everyone!?” she scolded, intending to rebuke Kiyo for his rough handling, but instead was silenced when he thrust an item in her face. Kaede took the item, realizing it was the adder stone Tenko had gifted Kiyo for his birthday months ago. Curious as to why he wasn’t explaining anything about why he had shoved the stone in her face, she held it up to her eye and looked through the hole. Nothing looked different until she looked down at the Pikachu.

Kaede gasped and stumbled back. In her action, her hand dropped away from her face. Removing the adder stone caused the illusion to attempt to trick her once more, but she had already seen through it. She held up the stone again, the Pikachu melting away to reveal a Mimikyu that looked to be at least three times larger than Spooky.

“Mimikyu!” Kaede involuntarily shouted. The Pikachu suddenly frowned, its fur bristling, before it gave up holding the illusion. The Pikachu faded away to reveal the Totem Mimikyu, exposed for the world to see without the need for the adder stone. Spooky jumped off Kaede’s shoulder, facing the Mimikyu with her shadowy claw poised to strike. Kaede backed away, surprised by Spooky’s sudden aggression. 

_Did she come from this place? Does she know this Totem Pokémon?_

“Back away!” Kiyo suddenly commanded. Kaede spun to face him, confused by his abruptness, only to find he wasn’t addressing her. With their attention focused on the Mimikyu, several Haunter, Gastly, and Shuppet had surrounded them and were creeping up. Banette unzipped his mouth and sneered at them, trying to intimidate them into turning away. However, the Ghost Pokémon were well-aware they had strength in numbers.

Kiyo released Xatu and had him set up a Light Screen to separate them from the Ghost Pokémon. Kaede released Cy as well, relaying instructions for him to use his psychic powers should the Pokémon break through the Light Screen. Spooky continued to stare down the Totem Mimikyu, who was strangely aggressive towards Spooky, and not in a “two battling Pokémon” sort of way. 

“Spooky,” Kaede kneeled and tapped the cracked and broken linoleum floor. “Come here, girl.”

Spooky started sliding backward, never taking her eyes of the Totem, but Mimikyu’s claw suddenly turned jagged and sharp. It swiped at Spooky, barely missing snagging her disguise. Spooky jumped back, Kaede catching her in her arms, which only seemed to enrage the Mimikyu even more.

“Kaede,” Kiyo whispered, “I feel it is in our best interest that we leave.”

“We can’t! If we can’t beat this trial now, what makes you think we can take on the Monokubs?”

Cy cried out as a Haunter threw itself into the Light Screen, shattering the energy shield into pieces. The Espurr unleashed a Psybeam, driving the Haunter back. Three Gastly tried to swarm them while they were distracted by the Haunter, but Xatu spread his wings threateningly, psychic aura emitting from him. Kaede turned away from the Totem Mimikyu, more fearful of the Ghost-types that were advancing on them. The Ghosts seemed to exchange a look before surging forward as one. Cy screeched loudly, his ears lifting to expose the organs underneath. A Psyshock attack unlike any Kaede had seen him use before hit the Ghost Pokémon so violently they were thrown aside like they were nothing. And when the light from the Psyshock cleared…

“Cy?” Kaede murmured softly in amazement.

Her Espurr was gone and in his place was a Meowstic, blue fur shimmering with the remnants of evolution energy. He turned to her, large green eyes blinking in confusion as he looked down at his new body. The Ghost Pokémon, frightened by the burst of power that had tossed them around, slunk away to hide in whatever dark corner they had spawned from. 

“Heh, good luck sleeping tonight!” Kaede laughed nervously.

Kaede suddenly shrieked when Mimikyu’s claw suddenly wrapped around her ankle. In her panic, she dropped Spooky, who retaliated against the Totem, forcing it to let go. Kiyo wrapped his arms around Kaede and pulled her away from the two Mimikyu. Banette put himself between the trainers and the Pokémon, one hand clutching the opposite wrist where his Mega Stone was held in place by a bracelet. 

“Kiyo, what do you know about Mimikyu?” Kaede asked, watching Spooky and the Totem threaten each other.

“Given you own a Mimikyu, you would be more familiar with personal behavior.”

“Just tell me what you know.”

Kiyo hummed softly in thought. “Mimikyu are very lonely Pokémon. It is said its true appearance is so frightening that whoever looks at it will die of shock. It is also sensitive to sunlight, so it hides under a rag disguised as Pikachu to protect itself from sunlight and make itself appear more appealing to others.”

_It’s a lonely Pokémon who makes itself look like Pikachu so people won’t be afraid of it._

Kaede pushed Kiyo’s arms away and stepped forward. Banette looked nervous, while Cy let out a small panicked noise. Spooky tried to reach out and grab her, to prevent her from approaching the Totem Pokémon, but Kaede shook her off. Mimikyu stilled, staring at Kaede as she came closer, but still had its claw poised to strike. 

“You’re not so bad,” Kaede cooed, crouching so she was at Mimikyu’s level. “Living here in this dark place, surrounded by nothing but Ghost-types… not a lot of people come here, right? I guess that would be pretty lonely.”

Kaede reached out and patted the head of Mimikyu’s costume. Mimikyu whined softly, using its claw to cover its real eyes. Kaede pulled Mimikyu close to her, hugging the Totem tightly like it was a plushie. Mimikyu pushed against Kaede and deposited an item in her hand, turning and scurrying away, but paused and waved goodbye one last time before disappearing into the shadows. Kaede opened her hand, revealing the item was Ghostium Z.

“I guess what Angie said was true,” Kiyo remarked. “You don’t need to knock the Totem out, just show them the battle is lost.”

There was a break in the clouds outside, a single beam of sunlight shining down, the smallest ray finding its way through the grimy windows. Kaede held up the Ghostium Z so she could see the symbol inside. Yesterday, she fled in terror from a monster made of claws and gnashing teeth, her fear overwhelming her so much all she could do the entire night was huddle with her friends and Pokémon in a decrepit lighthouse. That night had seemed to last forever, but now… now she felt strong again.

Not all battles needed to be won through fighting.

*Tapu Village*

Kirumi gently wiped the cut on Shuichi’s face, trying to remove the larger clots without reopening the wound. She patted the wound with a cotton ball soaked in disinfectant and then bandaged it, throwing away her supplies in the trash can near the café.

“Rantaro and Miu said Papa Kuma came from the direction of Route Fifteen, so let’s guess he went back that way.” Angie pored over the map in the pamphlet from the Malie City visitor’s bureau. Once Kiyo and Kaede returned with the Ghostium Z, they were planning to set off on their new journey to retrieve their stolen Z-Crystals. Angie had relayed the task of narrowing down where Papa Kuma might have gone to herself. She marked half of the map with Xs and continued marking as she thought about each location, sometimes mumbling to herself.

“Route Fifteen leads to Route Sixteen on the other side of the bay, past that is Ula’Ula Meadow.”

“What’s this area?” Phantom sprung up onto the table, pointing to a large blue and brown area near the meadow.

“The Lake of the Moone, one of two ancient altars dedicated to the beasts of light,” Angie replied.

“Could that possibly be where he went?” Himiko asked.

Angie tapped her chin with her pen. “Maybe-maybe. It’s big and there’s lots of places to hide— and it’s isolated for whatever nefarious things they get up to.” Angie circled the Lake of the Moone, marking it as a possible place where their new enemy might have fled to.

“Call an exorcist!” Kaede announced, flouncing cheerfully into the cafe area of the Pokémon Center and depositing the Ghostium Z on one of the tables her friends had claimed.

“You’re rather optimistic,” Shuichi mumbled, barely enough to be heard. He ran his fingers over the bandage on his cheek.

“Don’t worry, Shuichi. With all of us and our Pokémon, we’ll overwhelm the Monokubs. We can only get stronger. Speaking of which.” With a flourish, Kaede released Cy from his Pokéball so her friends could admire her newly-evolved Meowstic.

“Lake of the Moone?” Kiyo leaned over Angie to peek at the unfolded pamphlet. “You believe he fled to the ancient temple?”

“It’s one of our guesses,” Angie answered. 

“That doesn’t seem like somewhere a thug would run to.” Kiyo sat down in one of the free chairs and turned the pamphlet, so he could examine it. “What is this place, up north?”

“Po Town, but… I’ve heard some rumors. I guess a bad storm destroyed a lot of the buildings and much of the town, so it was abandoned. There was an effort to restore it, but that failed, so it’s been left to rot.”

“Based on your description, that seems like Po Town is a more likely destination. The temple at the Lake of the Moone is more likely to be visited by people, but not a town abandoned due to desolation.”

“Tapu Village is still populated,” Maki pointed out. "Just because a location was destroyed, doesn't mean it's not visited."

“But Tapu Village is maintained as a testament to Tapu Bulu’s wrath,” said Angie. “It’s kept as a reminder. A storm destroyed Po Town and it was deemed a lost cause.”

But she circled Po Town anyway.

*Route Sixteen*

Shuichi stepped off Lapras’ back, nearly stumbling and falling into the sand of the small beach leading to the stairs of Route Sixteen. Phantom, Maki, Kaito, and Ryoma disembarked with him while Rantaro directed Lapras to turn and swim back to where the others were waiting across the water. Shuichi almost had a panic attack as they passed Aether House, the sight of the broken door and remnants of footprints reminding him of what transpired there the evening before. He remembered the screaming and shrieking, the hulking body of the strange Pokémon nearly crushing him, the spiked tail throwing him across the room, Scout’s cries as he tried to protect his trainer—

Shuichi jumped when he felt something tickle under his nose. Phantom had found and plucked a long-stalked leaf from the small cliff face separating the beach from the rest of Route 16 and had waved it in Shuichi’s face.

“You’re looking a little pale there, Mister Detective. Bad night in the office?”

“Leave him alone,” Maki reprimanded the smaller boy, ripping the leaf out of his hand. 

Shuichi exhaled shakily. Last night had been traumatizing and he had no idea how Kaede managed to bounce back so fast. Keebo was also still feeling the effects of last night but appeared to be recovering. Miu and Rantaro weren’t as bad to begin with as the first three had been, leaving Shuichi to wallow in his fear. He couldn’t help it; he had never felt more vulnerable as when that creature tried to stomp him and ripped the room apart, Papa Kuma just standing in the middle of the chaos with that disturbing smile on his face.

“Knock it off!” Maki scolded as Phantom filled his sandal with water and splashed it at Shuichi.

“Then get off your ass and prevent this idiot from having a panic attack,” Phantom spat in response, fitting his wet sandal back onto his foot.

Lapras swam back and forth until the whole group was on Route Sixteen, Rantaro returning her to her Pokéball before following Angie, who led the way to the entrance of the meadow. Ula’Ula Meadow was a vast field of flowers, raised wooden walkways providing the path through the area. Looking down into the flowers revealed several Pokémon scurrying about. There was a sweet aroma in the air and Shuichi couldn’t help but feel relaxed for the first time since yesterday. Gonta had dropped to his knees and leaned over the edge of the walkway to pluck a couple of the red flowers, using them to decorate his hair and placing the extras in some of the girls’ hair. Tenko frowned at him but relented because even she could see he meant no harm.

“Here,” Himiko pulled the red flower from her hair and gave it to Shuichi, “you need this more than I do.” It’s not like her removing the flower mattered much since Tenko immediately ripped her flower from her own hair and placed it in Himiko’s.

But Shuichi was grateful anyway. He held the flower against his chest, the position allowing him to leisurely inhale the sweet scent. There were some people in the meadow, taking photos of the flowers, who mostly ignored the large group of people traversing the walkways. According to the map in the pamphlet, once they reached the other side of the meadow, the path would split in two. The larger, more obvious path would lead out of the meadow to Route 17, but a smaller path against the side of the hollow the meadow was in would take them to the Lake of the Moone. But they found their way obstructed by two individuals, standing where the pathway split.

The woman turned to see who had approached her and her male companion. She and the young man had darker complexions, indicating they were Alolan natives. She had brown hair pulled into a ponytail that somehow stood above her head. She and the young man greatly resembled one another, hinting they were related.

“ _Alola_ ,” said Kaito, stepping forward and greeting the two with the customary Alolan wave.

“ _Alola_ ,” the woman replied. “What is your business here? Tourists usually don’t wander this far.”

“We’re not tourists, we’re trial-goers,” said Kaede. “We’re chasing someone who stole our Z-Crystals… and might have abducted someone we know.”

“Trial-goers?” the young man repeated, scrutinizing the group. “This person stole all of your Z-Crystals?”

“No, just most of them, and we only have one set.”

“Wait, have you already cleared Melemele Island?” asked the woman.

“Yes?” Kaede responded, confused about her question.

Suddenly the woman beamed brightly at them. “I think my friend Sakura told me to keep an eye out for you. I’m Aoi Asahina of the Keawe Family, Kahuna of Ula’Ula Island. And this is my brother, Yuta.”

“Kahuna?” Angie quickly darted forward to introduce herself. “Angie Yonaga of the Kamaka Family.”

“Kamaka? Of Akala Island?” said Yuta. “Well then, _e komo mai_ , to you and your friends.”

“ _Mahalo nui loa_.” Angie pulled out the pamphlet and unfolded it to show them the map. “We’re looking for the person who destroyed Aether House, stole our Z-Crystals, attacked our friends, and might have abducted a child. He attacked Aether House, but we believe he came from the direction of Route Fifteen and might have gone back that way.”

“This sounds serious,” Aoi took the pamphlet from her. “We’ve been investigating some recent activity occurring in Po Town, perhaps your thief is a part of it?”

“Does the term ‘Monokub’ mean anything to you?” Shuichi suddenly spoke up.

It obviously did; Aoi’s arms jerked so suddenly she almost ripped the pamphlet. “Are you being chased by the Monokubs?”

“Who are they!?” Phantom asked exasperatedly, obviously as fed up with all the enigmatic hints.

“Thugs, thieves, bandits,” Yuta listed. “The five followers aren’t too much of a threat, but the leader is the one you need to watch out for. The amount of ruthlessness he’s capable of is staggering.”

Yuta suddenly looked panicked. “Wait, is Monokuma the one you’re chasing!?”

“If Monokuma is Papa Kuma, then yes,” said Angie. “Did you see which way he went?”

“Get out,” Aoi snapped. “For your own safety, leave the island.”

“Nope!” Phantom shot back in a cheerful tone, popping his lips on the “p” sound. “We’ve got too much to do.”

Aoi and Yuta looked shocked by his bluntness and exchanged confused glances. Aoi handed the pamphlet to her brother and pulled out her phone, walking away to have a private conversation. Phantom tried to not-so-subtly walk closer to her to eavesdrop but was pulled back by Kirumi. The group of friends began to talk amongst themselves, several of them arguing with Yuta to gain any information about Monokuma’s whereabouts.

Shuichi rubbed his arm, eyes cast down to the ground and hidden by the brim of his hat. He remembered yesterday when Nagisa almost panicked upon learning Shuichi and his friends were being chased by the Monokubs. At the time, Shuichi had just been annoyed, like Phantom had been a few minutes ago. Even now, he was still annoyed by how cryptic everyone they ran into was being, not providing any answers to simple questions. It was like some huge conspiracy the entire Alolan Islands were involved in. Now, he understood why everyone was so scared, but…

_It doesn’t matter. Or… it shouldn’t. I’m scared, terrified even, and yet…_

He remembered running away, from Aether House, from Monokuma, from the terror of gnashing teeth. He remembered stumbling and falling into the black sand. He remembered half-floundering in the water and heaving himself up onto the foundation of the lighthouse. He remembered huddling with his friends and Pokémon, sobbing in fear.

Then, he recalled a different memory. The memory of the night that brought him to Alola. Mosaic struggling to escape his captors, only to struggle twice as much when he saw Shuichi. And then Mosaic saving him from being shot by bumping the trafficker’s arm. Suddenly, Shuichi’s fear didn’t seem to matter as much, because Mosaic was probably scared as well. Wherever he was, he was alone, and didn’t have any idea if he would see Shuichi, Lumine, or Scout again. At least Shuichi had his friends beside him. Mosaic had no one.

“Let me ask you all something.” Aoi finished her phone call and returned to the group, pocketing her phone. “Even if we try to force you to leave, you’re still going after Monokuma, right?”

“Right,” Kaito answered without hesitation.

Aoi heaved a sigh. “Fine. I figure it’s best we go together. We can rescue your friend and get those Z-Crystals away from Monokuma. Follow me.”

“Where’re we going?” Angie asked, taking the pamphlet back from Yuta.

“Po Town.”

*Po Town*

A large stone wall towered over them, casting an intimidating shadow. The wall was featureless, but somehow that made it even more daunting, as if the lack of signs or markers was hiding whatever threat lay within. The raincloud from earlier in the day had drifted north to Po Town and settled there, heavy rain pelting down and soaking their clothes.

“Po Town was destroyed in a terrible storm about a decade ago,” Yuta explained, having noticed the group staring at the wall. “There was a plan to restore it put in motion, but another storm swept through and giant waves from the ocean destroyed many of the new buildings and collapsed part of the cliff. This wall was built to hold back the ocean, and, sadly, Po Town has been deemed a lost cause.”

“Recently, we’ve been informed about some suspicious activities in the area,” said Aoi. “Yuta and I started investigating and found the Monokubs turned Po Town into some sort of base.”

“What do you know about the Monokubs?” Kaede asked.

“They… sort of appeared from nowhere. They showed up on the islands, but most people ignored them at first. They committed petty crimes: vandalization, theft of small items— enough to be annoying, but not enough to be true threat. Then, Monokuma started appearing as well. Unlike the Monokubs, he’s been committing more terrible crimes: assault, kidnapping, arson. He’s very dangerous.”

“We know,” Shuichi mumbled, gently touching his bandaged cheek.

The doors into Po Town was held shut by a strange lock that clamped through the handles and was fastened on either side of the doorway. Yuta pulled out a key as strange as the lock itself, resembling a long, thin, metal rod that was bent at one end. He inserted the key into one of the small opening where the lock fastened to the wall and twisted. With a metallic groan, the lock fell away from its attachment. He repeated the same motion on the other side and pulled the lock through the handles, setting it aside. 

Shuichi nervously clutched the strap of his messenger bag. He was willingly going to confront Monokuma and his monster again, and he had never been more scared. Not even when the trafficker had pointed that gun at him.

“I’m going to do you a favor,” Kaito spoke up, depositing the Rockium Z in Shuichi’s hand.

“What!? No, Kaito, you can use it better.” Shuichi tried to give it back, but Kaito quickly stuffed his hands in his pockets, also preventing Shuichi from trying to sneak the Z-Crystal into his pocket.

“You need this,” Kaito stated firmly. “I wasn’t there last night, so I don’t know what you went through, but it didn’t sound pretty. You’re scared and…” he nodded toward the Rockium Z, “it may be a small source of power, but, hopefully, it’s enough to encourage you. I mean, I felt unstoppable when I was carrying it, maybe you will too.”

Aoi pushed open the doors and stepped through.

If the outside of the wall was intimidating, the inside of it was petrifying. Buildings, half-destroyed and crumbling, were strategically placed among the decorative stone paths. Plant life was beginning to overtake the former town: trees roots were growing through the stone paths, vines were clinging to the rotting wood of the buildings, a rusty truck with no wheels was being assaulted by shrubs growing through the holes in its chassis. The rain continued to fall, collecting in puddles in deep marks in the ground that looked suspiciously like the footprints around Aether House. At the other end of the once-town was a large manor that was still mostly intact.

In a flash of light, Aoi released a Greninja, who immediately was on guard upon realizing where it was. Yuta released a Golduck as well, who stalked near one of the buildings. Shuichi instinctively reached for his Pokéballs, but realized it was probably best not to release Lumine in the rain.

“Most of this place is in ruins,” said Phantom. “Our best bet is the manor.”

Aoi directed the group to split up, one side being led by her and the other by Yuta. Shuichi found himself in the group being led by Aoi. They crept from building to building along the left wall, keeping an eye out for an enemy they didn’t even know was here or not. The rain grew heavier until it became difficult to see through the sheet of droplets. Shuichi held his bag against his stomach, trying to shield it with the rest of his body as his wet shoes slogged through the thickening mud. 

“Puhu. Pu-hu-hu-hu-hu.”

Shuichi froze upon hearing the laugh. Realizing their cover was blown, Aoi led her group out from hiding and stood in the small courtyard of the manor.

“Well, what do we have here? A couple of trespassers?” Monokuma was standing on the roof, looking down at them. He was holding an umbrella, the rains falling off its surface in waterfalls. Shuichi couldn’t help but shudder. He couldn’t see Monokuma’s face due to the distance and the rain, but he knew the man was sneering at them, his sharp teeth glinting despite the lack of light.

“How is this trespassing?! This place was abandoned!” Aoi shouted back at him. Greninja prepared a Water Shuriken attack, ready to fling the projectiles.

“Free real estate.” Anything else he was going to say was interrupted by a rock suddenly striking him in the head. He grunted in pain, dropping his umbrella.

Shuichi turned his head to see the other half of his friends being led by Yuta approaching them. Tenko had already picked up another rock, ready to throw it at Monokuma. The man’s smile dropped, although the left half was still slightly pulled up. His black-and-white hair was soaked by the rain in seconds. He scoffed and turned away, reentering the manor through a shattered window.

“Nice shot,” Kaito complimented Tenko.

“Looks like he’s barricaded the door,” Yuta noticed. The once-opulent front doors into the manor were cracked in several places, and some of the windows smashed, allowing them to see through and notice chunks of wood and pieces of furniture had been shoved up against the doors.

“No problem,” Gonta replied cheerily, releasing Pinsir and Heracross from their Pokéballs. The two Bug Pokémon charged through the doors without hesitation, clearing the obstructions to allow everyone through.

“Now you’ve got a lawsuit on your hands.”

Monokuma stood on the landing where the flight of stairs split in two leading up to the second floor. His hair and shoulders were damp from his brief period in the rain. His smile was back to its intimidating sneer, his hands clasped behind his back like a prim-and-proper gentleman. And, for some reason, that’s what frightened Shuichi most of all. Monokuma could do terrible things and smile the entire time.

“Where’s Nagisa!?” Kaito shouted. 

“Nagisa?” Monokuma tilted his head, his smile never wavering. “Who’s that?”

“Don’t play dumb!” Shuichi yelled, his voice cracking and shaking. “Release Nagisa and give us back our Z-Crystals!”

“Hmmmm… no.”

“Then… at least give us Nagisa. The Z-Crystals don’t matter.”

Monokuma tilted his head the other way. The movement caused the hair covering his left eye to shift, revealing it was red. “Are you _sure_ the Z-Crystals don’t matter? They’re very important artifacts you know and hold so much power.”

“We need to get the Z-Crystals away from him,” Aoi whispered. “It’s too dangerous for him to have that many.”

“If he forces us to choose, then I choose Nagisa’s safe return,” Shuichi whispered back.

“Here’s a suggestion,” Monokuma presented one hand clutching an item. Shuichi almost panicked until he saw it was a regular Pokéball, not the strange item the monster had emerged from. “How about all of you fuck off and never come back?”

Monokuma threw the Pokéball, releasing a Pangoro into the front lobby area, who roared at them and slammed its fists into the floor. The group frantically backed away while Gonta’s Pinsir and Heracross stepped forward to protect them from the Pangoro. Shuichi didn’t feel as frightened by the Pangoro, but also knew he shouldn’t underestimate it. This was the Pokémon of a sociopath. He grabbed both of his Pokéballs from his bag, Lumine and Scout jumping out on their own. However, given Pangoro was a Dark/Fighting-type, Lumine and Scout most likely wouldn’t be able to do much. Still, that wasn’t stopping them.

Lumine was behaving strangely hostile, baring his teeth and growling in an almost-feral way. Maybe he recognized Monokuma from the night before and was angry about what happened. Pangoro slammed its fists together and suddenly rushed forward, trying to deliver a Bullet Punch attack. Gonta’s Heracross and Pinsir each caught a fist, their feet digging into the floor to keep Pangoro from moving forward. Lumine suddenly raced to Pangoro, ignoring Shuichi’s orders for him to stay back. The Rockruff sank his teeth into one of Pangoro’s arms, but the Bite attack had little effect. Pangoro violently swung his arm, flinging Lumine across the lobby. But Lumine righted himself immediately and came racing back, this time biting one of Pangoro’s ankles.

Shuichi risked a glance at Monokuma. The man was behaving like he had the previous night. His hands were clasped behind his back again and he was smiling that creepy smile, like this was all some entertaining game to him. Pangoro delivered a Karate Chop attack onto Lumine’s head, forcing the latter to let go before Pangoro kicked him like a ball, sending him flying toward the group. Phantom, surprisingly, responded the quickest and caught Lumine.

“Greninja, use Hydro Pump!” Aoi ordered.

Greninja unleashed the huge torrent of water, hitting Pangoro directly. The bear Pokémon grunted as it was pushed back, using its arms to take the brunt of the attack, but this also blocked its view from the secret attack taking place. From the center of the torrent, Yuta’s Golduck burst out of the water, striking Pangoro in the forehead with a Brick Break attack. Pangoro stumbled back and Golduck went in for another strike, but suddenly the duck Pokémon was crushed beneath a large body that fell from above. The Krookodile clacked its teeth together as if it were laughing, pushing Golduck’s head into the tile floor.

Krookodile’s triumph didn’t last long though. Shuichi realized that he hadn’t seen Phantom use any of his Pokémon in a true battle. There was when he used Rugosa’s Toxic Spikes attack to pop the tires of the traffickers’ truck; there was when he used Silver’s Razor Wind to cut the bars of the cages; and there was when he intended to have Raja fight as they escaped the cargo hold, although that didn’t come to fruition. Maybe he had used his Pokémon to battle when collecting the Z-Crystals, but Shuichi hadn’t been there. Now, he was seeing the true potential Phantom possessed.

Raja the Nidoking materialized from the flash of light and barreled forward, a bulky arm side-swiping Krookodile and throwing it off Golduck. When Pangoro saw an opening, it tried to attack Raja, who retaliated with a swipe of his tail. Phantom placed Lumine on the floor and stepped forward, willingly entering the battlefield to direct his Pokémon. Pangoro thrust both fists at Raja, who effortlessly grabbed them in his claws, smirking at his enemy as Pangoro struggled to free itself. Krookodile struggled to its feet and came charging at the grappling pair, but found its path impeded by Greninja and Golduck.

Monokuma continued to smile throughout the chaos, observing his Pokémon become overwhelmed and throwing another Pokéball, releasing a Drapion. Drapion screeched and scurried toward Greninja and Golduck, swinging its tail to deliver a poisonous sting. It was abruptly stopped by Lumine leaping forward and grabbing its tail in his teeth. It screeched again, twisting its body to grab Lumine with its front claws, only for Scout and Alba to each grab an arm in their teeth. The three Pokémon stepped back, stretching Drapion’s limbs and preventing it from attacking. 

“Well, well, aren’t you just a couple of cheaters?” Monokuma’s smile lessened the slightest bit. 

“What makes you think we care?” Kaede spat. “And you cheated first!”

Drapion ached its back and heaved its tail over its head, throwing Lumine into the air. The Rockruff landed on his feet, his teeth still bared and his fur bristling with hostility. Alba didn’t let go in time and took a severe Poison Jab from Drapion’s tail. She collapsed from the powerful attack, but Scout released the other arm and shielded her from further damage with his own body. Drapion approached for another strike, but was interrupted by Pangoro flying past, having been thrown by Raja’s Dragon Tail attack. Lumine dashed back into the fray, hitting Drapion in the head with a well-aimed Tackle, strengthened by Scout’s Helping Hand upon Shuichi’s order. But it wasn’t enough. Lumine knew he needed more to defeat this powerful enemy.

Through the thick layer of clouds, Lumine could feel it. High above, the sun was blazing brightly, its light blessing the land below with warmth and energy. He could feel the energy filling him as he drew it from the air. He was finally ready, it was time.

Lumine was enveloped in light so bright it forced the others to look away. For a few precious seconds, he was simply an entity. No longer a Rockruff, but not anything else. This was the only time he would ever experience this feeling. A feeling of completely being one with the natural energy of the world. As those seconds had come, they passed just as quickly. He was suddenly something again, something different, but with physical form. His legs lengthened, his collar grew into a mane, his tail uncurled. As the light faded, he stood before his beloved trainer as a Lycanroc.

“Lumine?” Shuichi gasped, staring at the Midday Lycanroc. “Is… is that you?”

Lumine threw his head back and howled, his fur shimmering as he empowered himself. He bared his teeth into a snarl, stalking towards Drapion. The scorpion Pokémon jabbed with one arm, which Lumine sidestepped and nearly crushed between his teeth, causing Drapion to cry out in pain despite Bite not doing very much damage. Pangoro realized its ally was in danger and started charging toward Lumine, only for Kirumi’s Gardevoir to unleash a Moonblast attack that knocked it out of the battle. Drapion, understanding it was on its own since Krookodile was still preoccupied, tried to stab at Lumine with its tail, only for it to be suddenly buried under a three-way Rock Slide attack by Luna, Sol, and Comet. Krookodile tried one last-ditch effort to take someone out with an Earthquake attack, only to be decimated by a combined Hydro Pump from Greninja and Golduck.

In an instant, the battle was over and Monokuma seemingly had nothing left. He looked down at his unconscious Pokémon, the smile still on his face but quickly dropping. 

“Don’t forget,” Rantaro whispered, “he still has at least one left.”

Phantom clambered up Raja’s back, clinging to his spines. The Nidoking stepped back, roaring at Monokuma, as if daring him to come down. Lumine looked as if he wanted to do the same, but noticed his help was needed. Now that he was larger, he effortlessly gripped Alba gently in his teeth and half-dragged/carried her back to Kaede, Scout trotting after him. Shuichi dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Lumine’s neck, burying his face in his new Lycanroc’s mane.

Monokuma returned his Pokémon and suddenly held up the strange ball-like object, the object that held the creature. Shuichi froze up, staring at the item with the same amount of fear he felt the night before, except this time… Shuichi clutched the Rockium Z in one hand, running his fingers over the rounded edges of the Z-Crystal while his other hand was buried in Lumine’s mane.

“Bring it, you coward!” Phantom shouted at Monokuma.

In an instant, the monster was back. Its gaping mouth full of sharp teeth took up much of its round, black-scaled body, tiny wings on its back flapping while it swung it club-like tail. It roared loudly, rattling the manor and causing dust to fall from the ceiling. But, something strange happened. When the clouds of dust cleared, there were suddenly two of them. 

“Wha—?” Monokuma balked, staring in bewilderment at the second creature. “That’s not possible!”

“You’re outnumbered and outwitted!” Aoi shouted. “Surrender before we make you!”

Now Monokuma was angry; his smile dropped, and he almost seemed to snarl in his rage. Even with his beast, he knew it was over. There was a second one that clearly wasn’t under his ownership and the group still had plenty of Pokémon ready to fight, but he wasn’t willing to roll over and give up.

“Guzzlord, use Dragon Rush.”

The creature, Guzzlord, readied itself to charge forward. The second Guzzlord roared at Monokuma’s but made no move to attempt to dodge the attack. Monokuma’s Guzzlord only managed to take a single step forward. A burst of aura surrounded Lumine and Shuichi, the Lycanroc shimmering with energy that flowed and ebbed with the flickering of the Z-Crystal in Shuichi’s hand. The tiles of the floor split and cracked, levitating into the air and the rock beneath it shattered. The pieces of stone and tile collected around Lumine. He barreled forward, the rocky mass rising and crashing down on Guzzlord.

Shuichi had a begrudging amount of respect for Guzzlord. It was obviously a very powerful creature when Lumine’s Z-Move dealt severe damage but wasn’t quite enough to finish the deed. Guzzlord let out a gurgle, swaying in its effort to stay standing. Although Shuichi would have liked the prestige of defeating the monster that haunted his nightmares all last night, but he was happy to say this battle was a team effort. Maki’s Pawniard saw an opening and obviously was seeing something the others weren’t when he dashed forward right through the second Guzzlord, moving through it like it was a hologram, and finished off Monokuma’s beast with an X-Scissor attack.

Now, Monokuma had to face reality. He was beaten, even his mighty beast had fallen to what he viewed was a group of pathetic interlopers. He wasn’t smiling or frowning anymore; his lips were tight and drawn, staring at Guzzlord with no emotion.

“Monokuma,” Aoi withdrew a rope from her bag, “you are under arrest.”

“Fine, I give!” he cried out, returning Guzzlord to its Pokéball-like item. “But I don’t have your friend. He ran away just like the rest of you. Went towards the oasis.”

“And you expect us to believe that!?” Shuichi yelled.

“You’re welcome to search the place. You’ll find your Z-Crystals in the study upstairs, but you won’t find the stupid kid.”

Aoi tried to sprint up the stairs, but Monokuma moved faster. He disappeared to the second floor, but by the time Shuichi and his friends followed, he had escaped out of the broken window. Aoi was standing on the roof in the pouring rain, watching as the man ran through Po Town.

“You know,” said Rantaro, “when I saw that monster last night, I was more scared than I’d ever been. But seeing it can be defeated, makes me realize it’s not an unstoppable abomination… and neither is Monokuma.”

Aoi had a pout on her face as she reentered the manor, her wet hair clinging to her face. She was no doubt upset she hadn’t been able to apprehend Monokuma, but she was oddly calm, maybe finding solace in Rantaro’s statement that Monokuma was no longer invincible. 

Shuichi looked over the railing down to the lobby area, noticing that Phantom hadn’t run up the stairs with the rest of them. Phantom was purposefully smearing as much mud as he could on the floors, despite them not being pristine to begin with. However, he claimed it was the principle of the matter, and no one questioned it. The second Guzzlord was obediently standing beside him.

“What are we going to do about that?” Maki asked, pointing to the Guzzlord. 

In a puff of smoke, the second beast disappeared, revealing Jester the Zorua, smiling cheekily at them. Phantom returned Raja to his Pokéball and picked up Jester, climbing the stairs to rejoin the rest of the group.

“I forgot Zorua can cast illusions,” said Shuichi. “That was some quick thinking.”

“Well duh, did you expect anything else? Wait,” Phantom’s eyes quickly welled with tears, “are you implying I’m incompetent? You’re so mean!”

“Wha—?” Shuichi sputtered. “No! I wasn’t implying that!”

“Gotcha!” Phantom snickered, his tears drying up in an instant. “I know I’m the best. Or is that a lie? Sure, Jester can cast illusions, but he needs to see the Pokémon first.”

Keebo was pushing against one of the doors on the second floor. Monokuma had stated the Z-Crystals were in the study, but never specified which door led to the study. Keebo had noticed some strange graffiti on this particular door and tried to force it open but found it to be barricaded somewhat. He released Aron and had his Pokémon charge through, completely shattering it into splinters of wood. Kaito stepped through first, checking to ensure there were no traps to surprise them. 

There was a bed in the room, as well as a table and bookshelf, but most of books had been pulled off the shelves and ripped apart. There was a chair acting as a throne in the center of the room. It almost reminded Shuichi of the upstairs room at the Kuzuryu Compound, but the chair didn’t look nearly fancy enough. In fact, it looked like a chair from a dining room set, the one that was designed to sit at the head of the table. It was marred and scratched, the cushion frayed enough that stuffing was leaking out. On the cushion was a wooden box so damp and ruined from the moisture it was soft and gave way to the slight pressure of Kaede’s grasp when she picked it up. Opening the box revealed their Z-Crystals, which were happily retrieved, except for one Z-Crystal they didn’t recognize.

“What’s this?” Gonta asked, picking up the strange Z-Crystal.

“That’s the Buginium Z,” Yuta answered.

“Bugs!” Gonta cheered, clutching the crystal to his chest.

“It’s all yours, buddy,” Kaito patted Gonta’s shoulder before he spied something that drew his attention. Sitting on the table was a strange, white, plastic card, similar to a credit card. He picked it up, turning it over to investigate it. On the back, or maybe front, of the card was a familiar-looking emblem. It almost looked like a yellow trident with five prongs, except the three center prongs were detached from the shaft and were levitating above it like crystals.

“I recognize that,” Shuichi plucked the card from Kaito’s grasp. “Where have I seen this? I know I’ve seen it!”

Phantom suddenly yanked the card away from Shuichi. “Aether Paradise, Mister Detective. This symbol was everywhere.”

“So, this card is from Aether Paradise?” Kaede asked. “Why would Monokuma have this?”

 _Why indeed?_ Shuichi frowned. Why did Monokuma have a card from the Aether Foundation? It looked like an access card, the kind used to slide through scanners to enter locked doors. Monokuma was a criminal, and allegedly notorious enough that Shuichi doubted he could easily enter Aether Paradise without being noticed. Maybe… someone gave it to him? Was there an infiltrator at Aether Paradise to steal their research? Was Monokuma conspiring with this potential infiltrator to sell the research? Or… 

“What if Monokuma has this card because he’s involved with the Aether Foundation?” Shuichi stated.

“Whoa! Wait a minute, Shuichi!” Kaito interjected. “Why would the foundation have anything to do with this guy? Pretty sure they would condemn his actions. Maybe he stole it? Maybe it’s Nagisa’s!”

“There’s no name on it, or rank. Don’t access cards usually have a person’s name, or rank, or the floors or rooms the card gives access to? This card doesn’t have any of that. It’s blank except for the symbol. Besides, that means all Monokuma stole from Aether House were our Z-Crystals and this card? There were a lot of valuable things there, why didn’t he steal them too?”

“No!” Kaito responded. “The Foundation took care of us! Remember Miss Yukizome? Remember how nice she was to us? Why would the Foundation give Monokuma an access card? He had to have stolen it. Right?” he looked the others, trying to find support for his argument.

“Well,” Kaede inhaled softly through her teeth. “We haven’t met these people, but you say they’re nice.”

“The Aether Foundation has done many noble things for the islands,” said Aoi. “Monokuma is a detestable criminal. I find it hard to believe he would be involved with the foundation.”

“See?” said Kaito, happy he had found some support.

“However,” she continued, “the foundation is also not very open with their methods. They’re very private, apparently for the sake of protecting their research from others who might wish to use it for immoral purposes. They keep many secrets.”

“You just said they were noble!” Kaito complained.

“Look, all I’m saying is we don’t know everything about the Aether Foundation. At least, not enough to pass proper judgement.”

Kaito frowned, scratching the side of his head. “I guess that’s understandable, but… I don’t know. Aether Paradise is a paradise! They rescue and rehabilitate Pokémon. They rescued us! People who are that kind and generous, there’s no way they could be bad.”

*Aether Paradise*

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Chisa fussed over Nagisa like he was her own child.

“I’m _fine!_ ” Nagisa pushed her away, sliding his arms out of his tattered and muddy lab coat. 

But that had been a lie. He was far from fine, having barely escaped with his life, clutching the box that held the story of the Pillager of Light. It was only because of Poipole and her Dragon Pulse attack that he escaped from Monokuma and his Guzzlord. Speaking of which, Poipole levitated beside him, curiously checking his face for any sign of his true emotions.

“You’re not okay,” Chisa concluded. 

Nagisa sighed, collapsing onto the bed. As Shuichi and his friends fled for the black sand beach, he had run through Tapu Village, sheltering in the oasis at Route 13 for the night. He called for one of the ferries to pick him up at Ula’Ula Beach in the morning, and now here he was, hiding in a room in the medical wing like a coward.

“He said he came for the Z-Crystals,” Nagisa started explaining, “but then he saw I had the story. He almost went mad, but I don’t think Shuichi noticed. They ran away, Guzzlord chasing them out, while Monokuma tried to wrestle the box away from me. Guzzlord started coming back in, but Poipole jumped out of her Beast Ball and attacked, driving him off. I guess Monokuma isn’t used to Guzzlord being dominated because he backed off, then I ran.”

“Monokuma is becoming bolder; Shuichi’s in danger.”

“Then why did you let him go to the islands?” Nagisa said in an accusatory tone. “Why didn’t you send him back to the mainland?”

“I had already offered them use of the ferries before they revealed their missing Pokémon was… was a Cosmog.”

Nagisa noticed her stumble over her words. He knew she was keeping something from him but didn’t have the will to pry further. He was tired and very shaken.

“If we know the traffickers have Cosmog, why don’t we go get it?”

“It’s… a very delicate situation. We can’t just storm the islands, we need to remain diplomatic.”

“But you’re fine with Shuichi diving headfirst in there?”

“I don’t like that either.”

“Why can’t we do anything about Monokuma? Does the diplomacy include him? No one on the islands wants him around.”

Chisa sighed, turning away from Nagisa. “It’s… complicated.”

Nagisa narrowed his eyes into a glare. “That’s your response to everything you don’t want to tell me. Fine, keep your secrets. I’m going to take a shower.”

He stomped out of the room, leaving behind his torn lab coat. Poipole floated in front of Chisa, giving her a glare similar to her trainer’s, before following Nagisa. Chisa watched the small Ultra Beast leave. They couldn’t do anything about Monokuma because… because he was being protected. If she dared to raise a hand against him, she would blow her cover, and now, more than ever, she needed to remain in Paradise. There was so much information she had withheld from Nagisa for the sake of protecting him, and she hated having to withhold the information since she felt he had a right to know. But there was one thing she hated more. She hated herself.

She hated herself for all the lies she’s told.

When the three boys came stumbling out of the cargo hold, she knew she had to be cautious. She had to gently pry to find out what they knew about the traffickers and come up with (unconvincing) responses on the spot when they poked holes in her story. In hindsight, she really should have asked what Pokémon they were looking for before offering to arrange of ferry to the islands, but couldn’t withdraw her offer afterward, since that would have been a red flag. But how was she supposed to know they had found the Type: Null and one of the Cosmog? And befriended them no less? She knew it must be painful for them to think about their stolen Pokémon, all the more sorrowful when the boys narrowly missed being reunited with them.

The Aether Foundation did only stop two of the ships, the third one escaping them, but Type: Null and Cosmog weren’t on the third one. They had been on the first one, reclaimed right before Shuichi escaped the cargo hold of the second ship.

Chisa was beginning to become sick of all the lies, but she couldn’t stop now. The worst was yet to come, and she wanted as many innocents to escape unscathed as possible. Sadly, Type: Null and Cosmog might not be among them. She stepped out of the room, walking through the empty halls of the medical wing. She couldn’t help but dread what she knew was happening far below beneath her feet but couldn’t stop. At least, not yet.

_Kyoko, Makoto, I know you two are trying to find the second Cosmog, but I need you here. She only needed to retrieve one of them; we need to focus on what is happening now or we won’t be able to stop her. But first…_

As far as she knew, Madame President didn’t know about Shuichi. As long as he avoided Monokuma, she still wouldn’t know. Chisa needed to get Shuichi and his friends off the islands before they got any more involved than they already had. She pulled out her phone and punched in a different number than the one she called when Shuichi, Kaito, and Phantom left Paradise.

“Hello?” the voice sounded tired despite it being late in the morning. No doubt they had stayed up late the night before.

“Chihiro?” said Chisa.

“Miss Yukizome?” suddenly the voice sounded more awake. “What’s wrong? Have Kyoko and Makoto tracked down the Cosmog? I haven’t heard from them in a while.”

“No. There’s a boy named Shuichi exploring the islands with his friends. I need you to find him. Eventually, he’s going to discover the truth and try to come to Paradise. Keep him from doing so in any way you can. If she discovers what he knows, or will know, she’ll kill him.”


	15. The Ancient Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi and his friends travel to Poni Island and are aided by the Kahunas of Melemele and Ula’Ula to face the Keala family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 15: The Ancient Path

“I can’t believe I’m standing in the Temple of the Moone. Can you imagine the history of this place? The culture and influence of past generations? The influence it has on the people of the islands?”

“Can you go have an orgasm somewhere else?” Miu snapped at Kiyo, purposefully walking away from his trembling figure.

When Angie had mentioned their supposition about the Lake of the Moone being a possible hideout for Monokuma and his Kubs, Aoi agreed it wouldn’t hurt to investigate the temple to make sure he hadn’t fled there, or that he hadn’t stored any items there. Shuichi also wasn’t one hundred percent sure about Monokuma’s claims that Nagisa had escaped and wished to check the temple to make sure the boy wasn’t tied up there.

Their footsteps echoed eerily around them, the sound bouncing off the stone walls. Shuichi didn’t know what to expect. He had seen the outside of the Ruins of Life and some of the trial grounds, so his opinion about the ancient ruins of the Alolan Islands hadn’t been influenced too much. This vast temple built on the surface of the lake wasn’t what he had anticipated. Honestly, he could understand Kiyo’s excitement.

There were tall wooden doors on either side of the long hallway they were walking through; however, the doors failed to budge when they tested them, locked away long ago. They continued making their way towards the light, eagerly hiking up the stone steps and emerging into a forested area. The path led directly up more sets of stairs. While some of his friends split off to search the forest, Shuichi climbed the stairs until he found himself standing on top of the altar, standing on a strange symbol that looked like two scythes joined with a small circular head. He looked around, realizing, now that the dark cloud that had plagued them in Po Town had cleared, he could see all around the lake and the broken remnants that were once the rest of the altar and temple.

“Magnificent, isn’t it?” Aoi joined him on top of the altar. “This altar was built to honor Lunala. There’s a similar altar on Poni Island to honor Solgaleo.”

“Poni Island, that’s the fourth island, right?”

“Yes, it’s the other end of the chain, and usually trial-goers’ last stop. I guess that’s where you’re going next?”

 _Poni Island… the Keala family._ He remembered Angie and Makana returning from the Ruins of Life and revealing what Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini knew about the trafficking. According to the Tapu, the Keala family was responsible and they lived on Poni Island.

“Aoi, are you aware of the trafficking problem on the mainland?” Shuichi asked.

“My brother and I are both members of the Keawe family and the Sea Folk. We’ve noticed more occurrences of large transport ships in Alolan waters, but there were never signs of hostility. When we noticed they were going to Poni Island, we started keeping records of the ships’ appearances, especially since the Keala family isolated themselves.” She pulled out a small notebook from her bag and showed it to him.

“The traffickers stole my Pokémon,” Shuichi revealed, taking the notebook and looking through its pages. “We’re collecting Z-Crystals so we can take on the Keala family.”

He found the date of his arrival to Alola almost a week ago. There it was; Aoi had marked the sighting of a single ship going to Poni Island on that exact day. 

“Kaito, Phantom, and I stowed away on one of three ships. After two days locked in the cargo hold, we were rescued by the Aether Foundation, who told us one of the ships escaped them. _This_ ship,” he pointed to the date she had marked.

 _Wow, now that I think about it, we’ve only been in Alola for six days,_ he thought to himself as Aoi took the notebook back and reread her notes. _So much has happened in that time, it’s hard to believe._

“So, you think the Keala family has your Pokémon?” said Aoi, flipping her notebook shut. 

“The evidence seems to point in that direction. Angie and her cousin communicated with Tapu Lele and she said Tapu Fini is suffering under the Keala family’ betrayal. We don’t know everything yet, but I think the family is paying the traffickers to steal Alolan Pokémon from the mainland and bring them back to the islands because they want to restore the islands to their former glory.”

“ _Former_ glory? I take offense to that! Have you not seen the beauty of the islands?! How dare they!” Aoi growled.

“Do you think Poni’s Kahuna would be willing to help us?”

“Poni’s current Kahuna is the head of the Keala family, so no.”

“You’re Kahuna!” Kaede shouted, interrupting them as she raced up the steps. “We have to battle you for the Z-Crystal!”

“Ohhhh,” Aoi smiled, crossing her arms and rolling her head, “I think you’ve more than proven your worth when you beat Monokuma. Let’s call that a Trial Challenge, hmm? Don’t tell anyone.”

Aoi reached for Shuichi’s hand and deposited a dark gray Z-Crystal into his grasp. “Shun, I gift you the Darkinium Z, proof of you conquering Ula’Ula Island.”

“Darkinium Z?” Shuichi held up the crystal. “But… you used Water Pokémon. Oh, and my name's Shuichi, not Shun.”

“Whoops!" Aoi sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Sorry, I'm not good with names; I was so confident I had it right. Greninja’s half Dark-type, and yes, I mostly use Water Pokémon. When I was chosen by Tapu Bulu to be the next Kahuna, I realized I needed some Dark-types to test trial-goers for the Darkinium Z. I already had Froakie, so I captured a Carvanha and raised him to a Sharpedo.”

“We’ve scoured the forest,” Kaito announced, the rest of Shuichi’s friends joining him on the altar. “There’s nothing here; no supplies, and no Nagisa. Maybe Monokuma was telling truth and he escaped?”

“Well,” Shuichi turned back to Aoi, “are there any other places you can think of?”

“Monokuma was pretty pissed when we beat him,” Yuta responded instead. “He ran away so fast, he didn’t bother taking anything from Po Town, like that Aether card we found. If he had Nagisa, do you think he’d give him up easily? Since he ran, I think he never had Nagisa.”

“Soooo, now what?” said Phantom. “I hate we keep sidetracked ‘cause I forget the main quest. But that’s a lie! I love side quests, they have so much world building. Or is that a lie?”

“Now we go to Poni Island,” Shuichi answered, ignoring Phantom’s tangent. “The Keala family has Mosaic and Nebby, and I think it’s time we finish this.”

Kiyo was extremely reluctant to leave the temple, but they managed to coax him with the promise of exploring Poni Island. Aoi and Yuta offered to escort them to the final island, stating a semi-permanent residence of the nomadic Sea Folk was on the island and they could find shelter there. All they had to do was return to Malie City and retrieve Rantaro’s boat. The idea of retreading their path from yesterday was daunting, until Aoi revealed all they needed to do was return to Po Town and swim around the top side of the island, the edge that was blocked by the north slope of Mount Hokulani and prevented people from walking around, but not swimming.

“It’s amazing,” Kaede whispered so her voice wouldn’t echo around the stone hall. “Shuichi’s bounced back so quickly. When Monokuma attacked up last night, I felt so weak and helpless. After I got the Ghostium Z, I felt so much better, and when we beat Monokuma, I didn’t feel afraid anymore.”

“The Z-Crystals are a gift,” Aoi replied. “They can bless you with confidence. Maybe it’s the latent power or your memories of what you went through to get the crystal, but I don’t think it really matters which. He and his Lycanroc successfully used a Z-Move without any former training. I’d feel confident after doing that.”

*

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for Russian roulette. One of these cans has been shaken.”

Aoi and Yuta were an endless source of surprises. Upon returning to Malie City to get Rantaro’s boat, the siblings released a Wailord, Sharpedo, and Gyarados alongside Rantaro’s Lapras. Now, they didn’t need to cram onto the boat. Wailord took care to stay at the water’s surface so his passengers had plenty of room to relax without worrying about being washed overboard. Aoi and Yuta were obviously used to traveling this way since they had brought drinks, snacks, and even beach towels to lay out on Wailord’s back. Aoi also supplied waterproof bags, small plastic bags they could place valuables inside of, like their phones and wallets, and seal shut, just in case their bags fell in the water. Shuichi made sure to place the Aether card they found in Po Town in his waterproof bag. He had a feeling it might be important evidence.

Yuta passed out cans of soda to the members of Shuichi’s group who chose to ride on Wailord back. Everyone gathered in a circle, snickering in anticipation as they pinched the tab on their soda cans between their fingers. In unison, they all pulled the tabs, exploding with laughter when Keebo was sprayed in the face.

“Good game,” said Aoi, handing the poor boy a towel so he could wipe his face.

“Hey Aoi,” Kaito spoke up, “can you summon some Mantine or something? I need to practice my surfing.”

“I’m not a god of the ocean,” she responded. “Sharpedo will take you though.”

“Alright! Maki-roll, make sure you get my picture!”

Shuichi watched with a smile as Kaito slid down Wailord’s back into the water, clambering onto Sharpedo and holding tightly to its dorsal fin. Maki obliged and took a few pictures on her phone of him riding Sharpedo’s back. The rest of Shuichi’s friends on Wailord’s back crowded on one side to watch Kaito try, and fail, to surf on Sharpedo’s back.

“Back at the Lake of the Moone,” Aoi said to Shuichi, “you mentioned Mosaic and Nebby? Are they your Pokémon?”

“Mosaic is my Pokémon, Nebby is Kaito’s.”

“Oh,” she looked perplexed, “he doesn’t seem nearly as upset about it as you are.”

“That’s because Kaito wants to be the hero,” Maki stated, standing behind Shuichi and Aoi, glancing back towards Wailord’s side after hearing Kaito shout followed by a loud splash. “In his mind, he’s everyone’s hero, and that means not being weak, at least to him. He’s supposed to inspire others to achieve their goals and dreams, and he can’t do that if he’s devastated about losing his Pokémon.”

“That doesn’t sound healthy.”

“Well, that’s Kaito,” Shuichi shrugged. “He’s also incredibly stubborn and will persistently claim he isn’t. What can you do?”

Wailord let out a loud rumble and water spurted from its blowhole, showering everyone on its back. Some of them were lucky enough to shelter themselves with the beach towels, while others had nothing and were drenched. Shuichi clutched at the brim of his bucket hat, successfully keeping his head dry, at least.

“Well look at that,” Miu shouted from the deck of the boat. “You’re all wet and we’re nice and dry.”

“I can fix that,” Yuta said, directing his Gyarados towards the boat. Miu shrieked as the large serpent spit a rather weak Water Pulse, just strong enough to splash the deck of the boat and knock her over.

Shuichi couldn’t help but laugh along with his friends. In one hand, he held the Rockium Z, fidgeting with the crystal. He felt calm; not even the occasional twinge of the cut on his cheek could dampen his spirits with memories of Monokuma and Guzzlord. He and his friends had defeated Monokuma, forcing him to run away in shame, he and the newly-evolved Lumine had successfully achieved a Z-Move, and now he was on his way to Poni Island to defeat the Keala family and take back his Pokémon. He could imagine it now: storming the Keala family’s home grounds and rescuing all the stolen Pokémon, turning them over to the International Police. Maybe he and his friends would be commended for their actions. Maybe they would become famous! He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this exhilarated and bold. 

The sun was shining, beginning to edge into the western sky as the afternoon dragged on, and the sky was as clear and blue as the water they traversed. Kaito tried his best to cling to Sharpedo’s fin as the shark Pokémon drifted sharply but ended up flying off and skipping across the water. Lapras hastily swam over and scooped Kaito into her mouth, depositing him on Wailord’s back. Aoi stood up and walked to Wailord’s side to return Sharpedo to its Pokéball.

“Guess I’m not as good at surfing as I thought I was,” Kaito said sheepishly, pushing a hand through his sopping wet hair. “Hey, I was thinking: what do we do after we get Nebby and Mosaic back? It seems like a waste of a trip to Alola to just go straight home after.”

“It’d be a shame to waste this opportunity,” Kaede added, picking up on his insinuations. “I’m sure no one would have to know exactly how long it took us to get Nebby and Mosaic back. Maybe it took a week… or maybe _two_ weeks?”

“If you want to stay, Yuta and I can show you some the hidden sights,” Aoi offered. “Have you ever had malasada? It’s like donuts and it’s delicious!”

“Island ho!” Angie shouted, standing up and pointing to the mass that was Poni Island growing larger and larger.

“Who you calling an ‘island ho?’” Miu snapped while wringing water out of her hair, obviously not willing to give that joke up.

As the three large Water Pokémon and Rantaro’s boat approached the island, several other boats converged on them. The larger boats were designed to resemble Pokémon, while the smaller ones were decorated in the four trial colors. The smaller boats were unnaturally fast, but once they were close enough, Shuichi was able to see several Sharpedo were harnessed to the front of the boats.

“ _Alola!_ ” one of the people helming a smaller boat called out. 

Shuichi made a strange sound, somewhere between a shout and a gasp, when Aoi suddenly sprinted to Wailord’s side and jumped off, performing a perfect dive into the water. Yuta soon followed with a similar expert dive, leaving Shuichi and his friends gaping in shock. The siblings cut through the water with large circular strokes.

“Well,” Keebo watched the two swim up to one of the boats and haul themselves in, “Aoi did say she and Yuta were members of the Sea Folk. I guess it makes sense they would be experienced swimmers.”

Aoi appeared to be speaking with one of the boatmen, gesturing to the crowd on top of Wailord and Rantaro’s boat. The conversation didn’t last long, and soon the boats had surrounded them, guiding Wailord and Rantaro towards a peninsula on the south coast of Poni. As they grew closer, the shapes on the peninsula became clearer, revealing it was actually a very large dock with multiple boats of various sizes and designs. There were people standing on the dock, watching the newcomers approach. The boat Aoi and Yuta were in reached the dock first, and the two jumped onto the dock accompanied by load cheers and voices from the Sea Folk, welcoming them back to the clan. 

Getting off Wailord’s back proved to be a terrifying challenge. The large whale Pokémon backed itself to the dock, raising its tail out of the water and angling it to form a slide. Shuichi couldn’t help but scream as he slid down the tail, tumbling into a heap once he landed on the dock.

“Welcome to Poni!” An old man, his skin tanned dark from the sun and a thick beard on his face, enthusiastically greeted them, helping Shuichi to his feet with surprising strength. The elder man suddenly gasped when he saw the Z-Ring on Shuichi’s wrist.

“It is an honor to welcome someone who has been blessed by the Tapu!”

“Th-thank you for having us,” Shuichi stammered trying to collect his bearings.

“These are some beautiful boats,” Rantaro said, disembarking from his own boat after mooring it to the dock.

“We Sea Folk are nomads, constantly sailing these waters and following wherever the wind blows us. Children are taught from a young age to repair and build boats. This location on Poni Island is one of the few places we congregate on a regular basis,” the elder explained. 

Many of the Sea Folk were gathering around Aoi and Yuta, forcing the two to fight the crowd to reach Shuichi and his friends. The docks were intertwined in a vast lattice pattern. In some places, the docks were wide enough for everyone to walk nearly shoulder-to-shoulder, while in other places it was skinny enough they needed to walk single-file. In one of the latter, Kaito’s foot slipped off the edge of the dock and he crashed into the water, his head knocking against the opposite dock.

“I think the sea hates me,” Kaito muttered once they pulled him out.

“It can sense your water-weakness,” Yuta snickered.

“Then I’ll master the sea just like I’m mastering the stars!” Kaito declared, wincing at the volume of his own voice and rubbing his head to relieve the forming headache. 

They were led to a very large boat modeled after a Wailord. Inside the boat appeared to a dining hall of some sort with several tables surrounded by chairs. There was also a large, surprisingly-modern, kitchen visible from behind a counter. To the right of the entrance was a set of stairs that led to an upper floor, although there was a sign in front of it asking people to not enter.

“This is a boat?” Gonta marveled.

Aoi whispered something to the elder, to which he nodded and gestured toward the tables. “Please be seated. I will be with you momentarily.”

“Are we eating?” Phantom asked eagerly. 

Shuichi couldn’t deny the smells wafting from the kitchen made his stomach growl. Although he wouldn’t have asked so bluntly like Phantom had, he was also hopeful they were going to be fed. They’d been running around all day and he was starving. It was hard to believe he had been huddled in a decrepit lighthouse that morning, and now he was on Poni Island, ready to finish this journey.

The elder returned carrying an old, thick book and, for a moment, Shuichi thought it might be the story of the Pillager of Light, before common sense kicked in. As far as they knew, there was only one copy of the story, and it most likely had been destroyed in Guzzlord’s attack. The elder set the book down at the head of one of the tables they were occupying. Kiyo immediately leaned forward in his chair, excited to see what historical item the elder was willing to share with them.

“Aoi tells me you seek to confront the Keala family,” said the elder. “I feel it is best you know as much about the history of the old families as you can.”

With that, he pushed the book across the table to Aoi. She flipped open the cover, the pages yellowing at the edges from age. The beginning pages showed several wall-engravements, most likely from ruins all over the islands, with small paragraphs next to the images explaining what they depicted.

“The old families are the descendants of the great king and his three sons. When Lunala and Solgaleo blessed the islands with the power of the stars, the king and his sons each claimed an island, so they and their lineages would remain the partners of the Guardian deities. The four families exist to this day, and three of them have grown and changed as their islands have. Poni Island is the least-populated and most-isolated. It is for that reason the Keala family hasn’t changed with modern times.

“The Keala family lives at the foot of the Altar of the Sunne. They believe it is their duty to maintain Poni Island as it was when the Beasts of Light were among us. Now, since I’ve been alive, they’ve been open and communicative, even if they scold the other families for allegedly ‘losing their way.’ Irritating, but harmless. It’s only been in the past couple of years that they’ve become hostile. They closed themselves off and poisoned themselves in their own echo chamber.”

 _The Keala family maintains Poni Island as it was when the Beasts of Light were among us,_ Shuichi mentally repeated to himself. _It was only recently they isolated themselves and started behaving aggressively. Recently…_

“Lunala is among us,” Angie stated.

Aoi flinched in shock, staring at Angie with an expression that clearly indicated she didn’t believe her. “Excuse me?”

“It’s been a couple years since I’ve lived on the islands, but when I left, the Keala family was behaving fine. Lunala is among us once more, and I think the family knows, so they’re trying to return the islands to how they were long ago.”

“That’s kind of unbelievable. The ancient ones aren’t among us; they left long ago. Although…” she suddenly had a thoughtful look on her face. “Maybe we shouldn’t throw out that idea just yet. If the Keala family _believes_ the Beasts of Light have returned, that would explain their behavior.”

“Does knowing their motivation really help?” Tenko snapped. “It’ll explain their actions, but it won’t excuse them.”

“Yeah,” Kaito agreed, clapping one fist into the opposite palm. “Let’s just go get ‘em. They lost the right to fair treatment when they stole innocent Pokémon away from their families.”

“You can’t solve all of life’s problems with punching, and that’s me telling you that,” said Maki. “Sometimes, you have to be diplomatic.”

“I wasn’t gonna punch ‘em,” Kaito insisted. “I just thought we’d threaten them until they gave us Nebby and Mosaic and then report them to the International Police. That’s what Shuichi would do, right Shuichi?”

“Huh?” Shuichi was spooked from his thoughts. “Oh, um… yes, that’s exactly what I would do.”

“Can you feed us?” Phantom looked to the elder with wide, teary eyes. “We’re soooo hungry!”

Shuichi slipped back into his thoughts as his friends continued to converse around him. While Kaito and Kirumi scolded Phantom for his apparent rudeness, Kiyo stealthily pilfered the book from in front of Aoi, so he could look through it. Angie continued to argue about Lunala’s return, something Shuichi silently agreed with, although she did it in a sing-song, not-taking-this-seriously voice. He had yet to see the Pokémon itself, but the evidence suggested Lunala had returned. Angie’s insistence and that strange presence that had woken him up the Kamaka house might not be enough to convince someone else, but it was enough for him.

*Seafolk Village*

Shuichi was surprised how well he slept. When he learned they were going to be sleeping on the upper level of the Wailord boat, he was worried the rocking would remind him too much of the cargo hold. Maybe it was the knowledge of his surroundings combined with the fact he barely slept the night before, but when morning arrived, he felt more rested then he had in a while. He sat up in the bed and stretched, his muscles feeling loosened. Scout was still small enough to sleep in the bed with him, but now Lumine had to sleep on the floor. Shuichi carefully stepped over his Lycanroc, taking notice that his roommates’ beds were empty. He was probably the last one to get up; most likely, everyone would be waiting for him downstairs. What he hadn’t expected was a stranger to be sitting with them.

“Hello,” said the person, their voice and appearance so androgynous he couldn’t decipher their gender.

“Hello,” he replied, remembering to be polite despite his confusion.

“Shuichi,” Maki spoke up, “this is Sakura, she’s the Kahuna of Melemele Island.”

 _That’s a girl?!_ “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’m under the impression you will be collecting the last Z-Crystals and then confronting the Keala family. Aoi and I will be escorting you until we reach the Poni Breaker Coast, then we will have to leave you,” Sakura explained.

“What’s at the coast?” Shuichi asked.

“The Ruins of Hope. We will try to speak with Tapu Fini, as Puanani obviously hasn’t been.”

“Who’s Puanani?”

“The Kahuna of Poni and head of the Keala family. If the Keala family’s betrayal has wounded Tapu Fini as much as Angie has stated it has, then something must be done to maintain the balance of the islands. Puanani might need to be deposed.”

Aoi wandered over by this point, placing a bowl of the purplish paste known as poi in front of Shuichi and unrolling a map of Poni Island. There were three locations circled on the map.

“Okay, here’s the plan. The Poisinium Z is here,” she pointed to a beach location not far from the floating village. “Himiko, Tenko, and Kaede are going after that one.”

“What’s the Totem?”

“A Toxapex. We thought Kaede’s Meowstic and Himiko’s Braixen could handle it with their Psychic typing. Here and here,” she pointed to a meadow and a cave on the map, “are where the next two Z-Crystals are: Fairium Z and Groundium Z. Tsumugi, Gonta, Angie, and Keebo are going after the Fairium Z, while Miu, Phantom, and Rantaro go after the Groundium Z.”

“What’s everyone else going to do?”

“They want to stay here.”

“I’m pretty banged up from surfing yesterday,” Kaito admitted, rubbing his lower back. “I want to conserve my energy for the final assault.”

“’Surfing?’” Phantom snickered. “More like skipping across the water like a stone.” Kaito apparently didn’t have the energy to argue back.

“Maki is staying behind with Kaito,” Kiyo continued the conversation. “Kirumi and I are remaining here to find as much information as we can about the Keala family’s location. And Ryoma simply doesn’t want to go.”

The tennis player nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and continued eating breakfast.

*Poni Beach*

Waves splashed gently onto the white sand beach. Kaede couldn’t help but take off her shoes and bury her toes in the warm sand. This beach was a popular surfing spot and there were plenty of people milling about in the shallows and on the sand. The waves weren’t strong enough to ride today.

“Aoi said we follow the water’s edge up the coast,” said Himiko, reading the note Aoi had written for them to find the trial grounds. Her Braixen looked over her shoulder at the note and pointed towards two large boulders north of the beach.

Tenko led the march up the beach, hissing at any of the male surfers who wandered too close to the three girls. Some of them must have thought her behavior was amusing since all they did was laugh. The sand narrowed where the boulders were, and the water nearly ran over their feet several times as they stepped between the boulders. Kaede investigated the front and sides of the boulders, looking for the trial colors. She found them on the back side of the boulders, long stripes that nearly covered the rocky surface.

“I wonder what the paint is?” said Kaede. “It’s so durable it doesn’t fade or chip away from the weather.”

The other side of the boulders was a circle of sand cut into the coastal cliffside with a lone tree growing in the center. The tree was wiry and dried-out-looking, but the fresh green leaves told a different story about the tree’s health. Tenko wandered over to the tree and spun around it like it was a sliding pole at the playground. She froze when she looked at the cliff wall and saw a strange, spiny object nestled in the sand.

“What does a Toxapex look like?” Himiko asked, staring at the object with Tenko.

Tenko pulled out her phone to look through the Pokédex app, but the object shuddered before she could find the information she was looking for. The object looked to be made of tentacles with large protruding barbs pointing outward. One of the tentacles lifted and a small face glared at them from within.

“Himiko, get behind me!” Tenko grabbed the smaller girl and almost threw her into the tree’s trunk in her eagerness to provide Himiko a shield.

The object’s tentacles all moved, splaying apart like a giant, multi-fingered hand. The object stood up and started skittering towards them, the inner face of Toxapex staring at them the entire time. The three girls shrieked loudly and scattered. Maybe they had come in here with a plan and the confidence to beat this trial in record time, but no amount of mental preparation could prepare them for the sight of that Toxapex crawling at them with all its spiky limbs jittering and quivering.

Kaede released Cy, the Meowstic letting out a small noise of surprise upon seeing the Toxapex. He threw up a Light Screen without Kaede’s instruction. The Toxapex must have noticed the Psychic-type move because it paused in its approach. Himiko’s Braixen pulled the stick from her tail, pointing it at the Totem.

“Toxapex is a dual Poison/Water-type.” The lull in the Toxapex’s attack gave Tenko enough time to look up the information she needed on her phone. “Make sure Braixen watches her step.”

“Watch her step, got it,” but Himiko sounded unsure herself. She had very little background with battling.

Toxapex chittered at them, throwing out a Toxic Spikes attack, littering the sand with small purple thorns. The girls and their Pokémon backed away. The Toxic Spikes would prevent them from getting close, forcing them to rely on ranged attacks. Thankfully, most Psychic attacks were ranged to begin with.

“Braixen, use Lucky Chant,” Himiko ordered.

Braixen gave a little twirl, small stars swirling with her. Now confident that Toxapex couldn’t hit them with a critical strike for a while, Braixen smirked and threw her stick in the air, catching it on its descent. Toxapex reared back on the legs near the back of its body, launching a liquid at Cy in a Venoshock attack. The Light Screen absorbed some of the damage, but Cy was hit by some splashes of the liquid as he attempted to flee. He made a face of disgust, trying in vain to brush the foul-smelling substance out of his fur.

“Watch out!” Tenko shrieked.

Toxapex rushed forward, stepping on the Toxic Spikes without worry. Two of its tentacles were turning purple at the ends, readying for a Poison Jab. Cy was forced to run for it, but Toxapex couldn’t focus on him and Braixen at the same time. 

“Use Psybeam!” Himiko directed.

Himiko’s order distracted Toxapex. It tried to curl into a spiky ball again, but it was too late. Braixen’s Psybeam hit the vulnerable face inside of the tentacles. Toxapex fell back, tentacles struggling to right itself. Seeing an opening, Kaede quickly moved to end the fight.

“Cy, use Psyshock!”

The powerful attack did the trick. A wave of psychic energy swept over the battlefield, clearing the Toxic Spikes and hitting Toxapex directly. It writhed frantically before going still. Even with the Toxic Spikes scattered, the girls were hesitant to approach the Totem to see if it had fainted. Its tentacles twitched slightly before shifting to lift itself.

“It’s not done!” Himiko whimpered.

“Yeah it is,” Tenko replied.

Toxapex threw a small object at them and scurried off in a huff, burying itself in the sand. Tenko stooped to pick up the object, revealing it to be the Poisonium Z.

“Poni Island is supposed to be the toughest island?” Tenko laughed. “The Keala family won’t know what hit them!” 

A faint cry echoed into the sky, drawing their attention. Toxapex stopped trying to burrow into the sand, two tentacles lifting so it could peer out. The sound faded and, with it, the ambient sounds of nature except for the gentle rushing of the waves.

*Poni Meadow*

Gonta had hoped Poni Meadow would look like Ula’Ula Meadow, a vast field of fragrant flowers and Pokémon, but the meadow was sparse and full of large spires of stone. The most colorful things here were the striated lines in the gentle slope of the cliffs near the entrance and the tree full of purple blossoms they had to duck under to enter the meadow. Upon realizing there were no flowers growing in the ground, he doubled back briefly to grab a small branch off the tree.

“Thank you Gonta,” said Tsumugi when he decorated her hair with the small blossoms.

“Would you like some flowers before you go?” Gonta offered Phantom, Shuichi, Rantaro, and Miu.

“Maybe when we get back,” Rantaro responded with a gentle smile.

“Or we could grab our own,” said Phantom, pointing upward. High above them, growing on the cliffs and spires, were more of the purple blossom trees, their strong roots stretching between spires. 

It wasn’t as colorful as Ula’Ula Meadow, but the sight of the trees integrating their root system among the spires and forming bridges to walk across was something out of a fairytale. How appropriate they were seeking the Fairy Z-Crystal.

“Looks like we follow the path up the cliff,” Shuichi noted, pointing to the slope leading up the cliff face. “We’ll see the rest of you when we come back.”

Tsumugi, Gonta, Keebo, and Angie waved goodbye as Shuichi, Rantaro, Miu, and Phantom started hiking up the incline. Angie clambered up Gonta’s shoulders to keep watching until the four disappeared from her sight. She hummed quietly to herself, rearranging the purple blossom’s in Gonta’s hair, before sliding down his shoulder.

“Okay,” Angie parted some of the tall grass, “we’re looking for a Ribombee. It’s the evolved form of my Cutiefly.”

“So, a Fairy/Bug-type? Tropius, Aron, Mawile, or Salandit,” Keebo listed off the Pokémon he thought would be the best choices for the battle. 

“Or all of them!” Gonta said cheerfully, not wishing to exclude anyone.

“Is there some way we can draw it out?” Tsumugi asked, walking through the long grass that grabbed at her skirt. “All of my Pokémon can use Sweet Scent.”

“It’s a clear day, so it should around,” Angie replied. “Ribombee hate rain. They’ll hole up inside a tree hollow to avoid getting wet.”

Tsumugi released her three Pokémon and had all three use Sweet Scent. The wafting aroma immediately drew several Pokémon to them, including regular-sized Ribombee, but not the Totem. Gonta was delighted as some Floette flocked around his head, investigating the blossoms in his hair. Angie released her Cutiefly and Cottonee to join the meadow Pokémon, as well as employing their flying and levitating abilities to search above.

“Helloooo?” Gonta called out, waving the branch he had broken off the tree earlier. “Please come out!”

“Keebo,” Angie spoke up, “have Aron use Headbutt against the tree near the entrance.”

“What will that do?”

“Hopefully draw it out, but it might be mad,” she responded in a cheerful tone.

“Mad!?” 

Despite his misgivings, Keebo released Aron and had the small Pokémon Headbutt the tree. Several of the blossoms shook loose and fluttered to the ground. Ribombee didn’t emerge from tree, but something else dropped down. Keebo retrieved the item, his investigation revealing it to be a sash or large band of some sort made of woven cloths dyed in the four trial colors. Angie snatched the sash from Keebo and bounced over to Gonta, the latter kneeling so she could place the sash on his head like a crown. 

Salandit suddenly hissed loudly, scuttering out of the long grass, a large shape hot on his tail. The Totem Ribombee angrily scolded Salandit, dipping back into the grass to extinguish some small fires he must have started. 

“Salandit!” Tsumugi chided her Pokémon, who hiss-laughed in response. 

Ribombee rose out of the grass once more, wings fluttering and shedding small spores of pollen. It looked to each of the four trainers standing before it. 

“Do we have to fight it?” Gonta whined. “It’s so pretty!”

“If it challenges us, we have to fight,” Angie replied. Cottonee and Cutiefly returned to her side, even though they wouldn’t fare well against the Totem.

Ribombee suddenly flapped its wings, scales and pollen spores flying off its wings and rushing at the trainers in a Silver Wind attack. The four attempted to protect themselves, but Salandit jumped out and ignited the particles in the Silver Wind, resulting in a fire burst that whooshed loudly and fizzled into the air once all the particles were burnt. Gloom whimpered, clinging to Tsumugi’s leg, and released a Stun Spore attack.

“Cover your mouths!” Tsumugi shouted as the spores floated into the air.

Ribombee blew the spores away with another Silver Wind before unleashing a Dazzling Gleam that nearly blinded them. The damage was minimal to the Pokémon present due to type advantages, but after the light died down, the Totem had disappeared under the cover of the flash. 

“Where did it go?” Gonta formed a binocular using his hands, looking around the meadow.

Suddenly, a sound unlike any they’d heard before ripped through the air. It moved as if it were the wind itself, rippling the grass and the water in the small pond against the incline leading up the cliff face. Some of the branches in the trees were violently blown, exposing a large hollow in one of the trees growing high above them. A small glittering object fell from the tree, landing on Cottonee’s head. Angie pulled the item loose from her Pokémon’s cotton-like strands, revealing it to be the Fairium Z.

“The voice of nature,” Angie whispered in awe. “Tapu Fini has spoken.”

*Resolution Cave*

“Yodelay-hee-hoooo!” Phantom shouted into the darkness of the cave, his voice bouncing off the walls and echoing around them.

“Ass!” Miu snarled. “Don’t do that!”

“You’re not the boss of me!” Phantom pouted, bounding forward to stand by Rantaro’s side. 

Miu scoffed at him before ordering Flaaffy to illuminate the cave with her tail orb. The tunnel they were in lit up, their shadows stretching and distorting on the rock walls. Lumine sniffed the ground then lifted his head to sniff the air. Shuichi walked beside him, one hand holding onto one of the pointed stones in Lumine’s mane. Since they were going after the Ground Z-Crystal, Phantom released Rugosa, who walked alongside her trainer.

“Ah shit,” Miu grumbled. Their path was obstructed by large, jagged stones, preventing them from moving forward.

“No problem!” Phantom attempted to jump on Lumine’s back, but the Lycanroc immediately sat down so the small boy slid off.

“You’re too big,” Shuichi insisted. “Get off him.”

“Are you calling me fat!?”

“Hey Phantom,” Rantaro interrupted them, “don’t you have a Nidoking? Could he carry us across?”

“I’ll do you one better.” 

Raja stood before them after the brief flash of light. He looked around, eyeing the sharp stones. Phantom didn’t even need to relay a command. Raja slammed a foot down, the rocks shattering and flying up to break apart on the ceiling of the tunnel. The ground rolled for a few more seconds in the aftermath of Raja’s Earth Power attack. They would have to climb over some of the remnants, but at least the jagged rocks wouldn’t cut their hands or risk spearing them if they fell. Still, Phantom and Rugosa clambered up Raja’s back and rode his Nidoking across the rocks.

“You know,” Shuichi panted from the effort of climbing and sliding, “you could have let Raja carry us.”

“Raja’s his own man,” Phantom responded, thumping his closed fist against the Nidoking’s head.

The tunnel led them deeper into the cave, the temperature dropping as they descended. Phantom climbed off Raja and jumped on Rantaro’s back instead, trying to leech some warmth from him since none of them had Fire-types to warm them. Shuichi took off his hat and let Scout splay out on his head. The Eevee’s thick fur was better than any winter cap. Lumine barked deeply, loping ahead of the group and disappearing into the dark Flaaffy’s tail orb had yet to light up.

“Lumine! Come back!” Shuichi shouted, ready to follow his Pokémon.

“Wait,” Rantaro let go of one of Phantom’s legs and grabbed the back of Shuichi’s shirt before he could run past. “Did you hear that? Your echo?”

Flaaffy intensified the glow of her orb, revealing they had stepped into a large room. Lumine was waiting for them on a raised platform. The trainers and Pokémon ascended the small incline, reaching the top of the platform. Phantom slid off Rantaro’s back and rushed forward to investigate some strange white objects half-buried in dust that had fallen from the ceiling.

“Can I take this?” he asked eagerly, holding up the largest object which was nearly as tall as he was.

“That’s a skull!” Miu squealed, stumbling back.

The white objects were bones; a complete skeleton picked clean of any remaining flesh. Rantaro yanked the skull out of Phantom’s grasp and laid it back on the ground, not wishing to disturb the resting place of whatever Pokémon this had once been.

“What did Aoi say the Totem was?” Shuichi asked.

“Mudsdale,” Phantom replied. “I guess we won this fight.” He pointed to the pedestal standing on the raised platform. The Z-Crystal glimmered even in the dimness of the cave. With nothing protecting it, Lumine reared on his hind legs and picked the crystal up in his mouth.

“How long ago did this thing die?” Miu said, toeing one of the ribs. “Shouldn’t another have replaced it?”

“Keahi said the Totems are powered by the Z-Crystals,” Shuichi answered. “And the Z-Crystals are the powers of nature itself. So… what’s nature?”

“The natural energy of the world,” said Rantaro.

“And on the Alolan Islands, that energy is embodied in the Guardian deities. So, I guess, in a way, the Tapu pick the Totems and imbue them with the power of the Z-Crystals. If something’s happened to Tapu Fini, then she wouldn’t be able to choose another Totem after this one died.”

“Things are bad on Poni Island,” Rantaro remarked gravely.

A flock of Golbat suddenly rushed over their heads, the tips of the wings striking the taller travelers in the head. Rugosa, spooked and confused by the sudden noise, pointed her rose-hands upward and fired a Poison Sting attack. Even if the attack hit, it wouldn’t do much damage. It was more of a warning shot.

“The Pokémon seem restless,” Rantaro observed.

“That’s an understatement,” Shuichi commented. “Um… Rantaro?”

“Yes?”

“There’s a… um. There’s something on your…”

“You have a dart in your ass,” Miu stated bluntly. 

Rantaro twisted to look at the seat of his pants, Flaaffy holding her tail orb close to him so he could see. There was a slim, purple thorn spearing through the fabric of his pants. Thankfully, it hadn’t pierced his skin, or the Poison Sting might have injured him. 

“Sorry about that,” Phantom apologized sheepishly, plucking the thorn from Rantaro’s pants.

A loud cry echoed through the cave, reverberating off the smooth stone walls and dying out, leaving them surrounded in tense, eerie silence. Nobody moved; the only sound being their shaky breathing and the occasional shifting of feet. The noise didn’t repeat itself, but that was somehow worse than if it had called again.

*Ancient Poni Path*

“We heard it all the way back in the village,” said Kaito. “What was that noise?”

“It was like the entire island was holding its breath,” Kirumi described.

They didn’t receive an answer since Angie was busy conducting a strange ritual. Shuichi collected the latest three Z-Crystals in his bag, counting them to make sure there were seventeen. All they had left was the Dragonium Z, but that was in the possession of the Poni Island Kahuna, head of the Keala family. There wouldn’t be a point to collecting it since they had to defeat the Kahuna to get it in the first place, unless they wanted a complete set, but Shuichi didn’t care that much about trophies. Seventeen was enough for this fight; they didn’t need the last crystal.

 _I can’t believe it,_ Shuichi looked around at his friends and then to the entrance to the canyon they were grouped in front of. _It’s finally time. At the end of this path is the Keala family. Mosaic… I’m coming._

This had been the longest week of his life, but now that the end was imminent, he began visualizing the future. Maybe Mosaic would show a little trust towards his friends once he saw them come to the rescue. If he were more trusting, then maybe he’d let Keebo remove the helmet. Shuichi would take him home, introduce him to his family, and he’d be happy. 

_Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself,_ but there was no harm in hoping.

“The noise you heard was Tapu Fini crying out,” Angie spoke once she was finished with her ritual. “But she cried with joy, and the island went silent in her reverie. Yep-yep!”

“Joy?” Kaede repeated. “Then… that’s a good thing, right?”

“Aoi and Sakura went to the ruins,” said Maki, “should we wait for them to join us and find out what happened?”

Kiyo checked his pocket watch, turning it so Shuichi could see the time as well. They had been waiting at the entrance to Vast Poni Canyon for an hour already. Neither Aoi nor Sakura told them to wait for the two Kahunas to rejoin them before heading into the canyon, but it felt like the smart thing to do. As time continued to pass, Shuichi grew more worried. The last thing he wanted was to try and traverse the canyon or battle the Keala family in the dark. They needed to leave soon.

“I’m sure they’ll catch up,” said Kaito. “Let’s divide up the Z-Crystals.”

Since Kaede, Shuichi, and Kaito were the ones with Z-Rings, they scrutinized each crystal to find the best choice for their next, and hopefully last, battle. Shuichi took the Rockium Z, Kaito the Psychium Z, and Kaede the Fairium Z.

“We can’t keep waiting,” Angie sighed, facing the entrance into the canyon. “It’s time to go.”

There something awe-inspiring about the vast size of the canyon. Like Poni Meadow, there were striations in the wall, revealing the geological history of the stone layers through history. The entrance to the canyon was a narrow gap in the walls leading to a small clearing with a dead tree in the center, the opening to the inner cave system beyond it. Unlike Resolution Cave, there was plenty of light in the caves, streaming through gaps and holes in the ceiling. 

As they traveled, Shuichi couldn’t help but feel as if the stone beneath his feet was pulsing like a heartbeat, the heartbeat of the island. Aoi said the Keala family lived at the foot of the Altar of the Sunne, which meant the Altar was at the end of the path. Was that where this power was coming from? Lunala was among them, was Solgaleo here as well? He had the Rockium Z in his fist; even the Z-Crystal felt like it was pulsing with power. Normally, he would feel nervous, maybe even sick to his stomach, but he felt invigorated.

“Oh! Please no!” Miu squeaked, hiding her face. They had emerged from the cave system to find themselves in the upper levels of canyon, facing a rock bridge they needed to cross to continue.

“Is a handrail too much to ask for?” Keebo hugged himself, purposefully keeping his eyes shut.

“It’s okay,” Gonta assured the siblings, patting Keebo’s head. 

“We’ll go two-by-two,” Ryoma suggested. “Everyone partner up; those who are scared, partner with someone who’s not.”

And so they went, eight pairs slowly creeping across the stone bridge in the sky, most of them nearly collapsing in relief when they reached the safety of the other side. Unfortunately, there were more stone bridges waiting ahead, forcing them to utilize the same method. Shuichi couldn’t help but wonder how many years it took for the canyon and cave system to be carved by water, wind, and time. In the future, there was a chance these natural bridges would whittle away. Would the Keala family allow them to be replaced? Would the Keala family still exist by that time? Well, they’d existed since the time of the Beasts of Light, so maybe they’d persevere.

Aron charged forward and shattered a fallen boulder with his head, allowing the others to push onward. Nobody commented when Tenko filled her pockets with some of the stones. There were many places for someone to hide and watch them, and, honestly, Shuichi was surprised they hadn’t run into anyone yet. Given how Aoi described the Keala family’s behavior, he expected to see spies watching them during their journey through the canyon, then a thought occurred. Did the family even know about him and his friends? Did they know someone was coming to stop them?

“There’s something about this place that inspires me,” Tsumugi commented. “I keep expecting to see a great Pokémon fly overhead when we’re on the stone bridges. Like a Moltres or something.”

“It’s the energy,” Kiyo replied. “Normally, humans can’t feel the natural energy of the world like Pokémon can, but when it’s this concentrated, one can’t help but feel enchanted.”

Angie started softly chanting something in another language, holding her hands out in front of her, palms up. She walked with a dignified stride, like she was in a ritualistic procession. The others, unsure of her behavior, fell in behind her. They reached a large open cave, the path leading down to the lower level through a slope against the wall. Coarse grasses grew in small patches, but there were no Pokémon scurrying through them. In fact, they hadn’t seen any Pokémon during their journey along the ancient path. It was like the whole world had gone quiet. 

“Statues!” Himiko pointed to the two gray statues, carved in cryptic runes, standing on either side of what they believed was the exit.

“We must be close,” said Shuichi, approaching one of the statues. He couldn’t help but think the top of it looked like a gaping mouth, snarling with bared, rounded teeth. 

Tenko palmed one of the stones into her hand as they cautiously walked past the statues. Turned out the hole in the wall wasn’t the exit. Rather, it led into another cave, this one apparently formed from lava bubbles. The direct path wove between small, hollow “rooms” of stone. Peeking into these rooms revealed nothing: no people, no Pokémon, no crystals.

“Don’t look up,” Maki grabbed Shuichi by the shoulder, spooking him. She gripped his shoulder tightly, keeping her voice low in a harsh whisper.

“What is it?” he whispered back.

“There are wooden bridges and stone ledges above us. I can’t see them, but I know they’re around. We could be jumped at any moment.”

“The pedestal!” Phantom shouted as loud as he could on purpose, causing everyone to jump. The Dragonium Z sparkled from within the pedestal, but there was no Totem or Kahuna defending it. Shuichi was immediately on his guard. No doubt, this was a trap.

“They’re coming,” Maki whispered.

 _What do I do?_ Shuichi fretted. Both parties were now aware of the other’s presence; all they needed was the catalyst for hell to break loose. Would the Kahuna stop him from taking the Z-Crystal? Was that the only way to get her to come out? If so…

Shuichi released Lumine and Scout from their Pokéballs. Each flanked him as he approached the pedestal, their ears rotated back and to the sides to listen to the people above move around. Shuichi stopped in front of the pedestal, one arm half-raised. He fought the urge to look up, his arm raising, his hand reaching for the crystal.

The shockwave and dust cloud knocked him back as the large body fell from above. Large, clawed fists emerged from the cloud, gripping the pedestal tightly enough Shuichi was amazed it wasn’t crushed. He scooted backward, Lumine snarling and stalking back and forth. As the dust cleared, Shuichi gaped in horror at the creature looming above him.

Totem Kommo-o.

“That’s far enough, interloper.”

A woman, her skin wrinkled and hair silver with age, stepped around Kommo-o’s large body. Despite her shuffle and the shake in her hands, she had an aura that demanded respect and would have no concern with taking it for herself. There looked to be a Z-Crystal strung on her necklace, but it was a strange yellow-brown color, unlike every crystal Shuichi and his friends had collected. The woman smirked at them and plucked the Dragonium Z from the pedestal.

“You are not welcome here.”

Above them on the wooden bridges and stone ledges, dozens of people emerged from nowhere, kneeling on the edges to peer down at the intruders. All of them had the tanned skin of native Alolans and were wearing clothing that looked handmade, including incorporating leaves and flowers into hair and bracelets.

“Where are the Pokémon you stole!?” Kaito shouted, since Shuichi was still too shocked to say anything.

“Stole? How dare you,” the woman rebuked him. “Those Pokémon belong to the islands. We merely brought them home.”

“They belong with their trainers! Their families! How dare _you_ for taking them away from that!” Kaede growled.

“We are the protectors of the islands. It is our duty to keep them, something the other families have forgotten,” the woman glared specifically at Angie when she said this, prompting Gonta to protectively try and shield her with his arm.

“Like we care, you old hag,” Miu snapped dismissively. 

“You are not welcome here,” the woman repeated. 

Kommo-o roared loudly, the entire cave rattling and shaking. Lumine stiffened his pose and howled in response. He looked pathetically small in comparison to the Totem. Shuichi scrambled to his feet and held the arm his Z-Ring was clamped to. The people above them gasped and began talking amongst themselves.

“You do not deserve that,” the woman snarled.

“Then fight me for it!” Shuichi barked back, surprising even himself with his boldness. 

The woman looked offended by his harsh tone but recovered her composure. “I am Puanani, head of the Keala family and Kahuna of Poni. You will regret your words.”

Kommo-o leapt forward and raised a fist, bringing it crashing down on where Lumine had been a split second ago. Lumine darted to the side, instinctively using Rock Throw to strike Kommo-o in the head, but the Totem batted the stones away like they were insignificant Zubat. Kommo-o dropped to all-fours and tried to bowl Lumine over with one hand. Lumine jumped so the hand swept underneath him and leapt forward, sinking his teeth into Kommo-o’s nose. Kommo-o reared back to its hind legs, both hands clamping down on Lumine’s body and cruelly squeezing as it tried to pull the Lycanroc off its face.

“Psybeam!”

A rainbow-colored ray hit Kommo-o in the chest, forcing it into a stumble. It let go of Lumine to steady itself, giving the Lycanroc a chance to release its nose and scamper away. Cy stood beside Spooky and Alba, his green eyes narrowed in focus at the lumbering beast of a Kommo-o. The Totem snarled harshly at the sight of multiple challengers.

“Of course, interlopers would ignore the sacred rites,” Puanani spat hatefully.

“We’re not fighting for the stupid crystal!” Shuichi yelled. “We’re fighting for the Pokémon you stole!”

Multiple flashes from behind him indicated his friends had released their Pokémon, trying to intimidate Puanani and Kommo-o with sheer numbers. The Totem took a step back in surprise but didn’t back down. Multiple undulating shrieks erupted around them as three Noivern descended from the upper level, dropping to the ground and flaring their wings as a threat display. The Noivern scampered forward in a strange rolling gait, using their wings like crutches. 

“Lumine, use Rock Throw!” Shuichi ordered, but what happened was certainly not a Rock Throw. Large boulders fell in a shower, painfully striking the Noivern and forcing one completely to the ground.

 _Rock Slide?_ Shuichi gawked in surprise, his agape mouth turning into a smile as Lumine threw his head back to let out a reverberating howl. 

“Scout,” Shuichi kneeled beside his Eevee, “use Helping Hand to strengthen everyone.”

Scout rhythmically wagged his tail back and forth, the minute sparks of energy flying to their friends’ Pokémon and empowering them. Kommo-o stepped over the pile of rocks Lumine’s Rock Slide had left, only for Tenko to hurl the rock she had palmed earlier at its head. The Totem became enraged and charged forward, only to be stopped mid-stride by Raja grabbing its head. Rantaro’s Gallade took this chance to rush in and deliver a Psycho Cut attack, dodging backward when Kommo-o flung itself forward, breaking out of Raja’s grip.

Puanani stalked around the chaos of the battlefield, tightly clutching the Dragonium Z in one fist. Shuichi observed her as she analyzed the fight, obviously looking for an opening to use a Z-Move that would decimate all their opponents. The Keala family above them were shouting and jeering, stomping their feet to make as much noise as possible.

“Leave it to me,” Himiko said. There was so much noise, but Shuichi somehow heard her say that. He glanced over his shoulder to see exactly what she was doing, but she had ducked out of sight.

“Raja, Dragon Tail!” Phantom ordered.

The Nidoking swung his tail at Kommo-o, but missed, flinging one of the rocks toward Puanani, who skillfully ducked to avoid being hit. Kommo-o’s fist flared with energy as it struck Raja in the jaw with a ruthless punch. Raja stumbled back, only for Sol, Luna, Comet, and Nova to support him and keep him from falling. Aron came rushing in and leapt into Kommo-o’s stomach, knocking the wind out of the Totem solely with his compact body weight. Octillery unleashed a Bullet Seed attack right in Kommo-o’s face, forcing it further back. One of the Noivern who withstood the Rock Slide reared up and swiped at Aron, but Salandit hit it with a Flame Burst.

Shuichi fitted the Rockium Z into the indent of his Z-Ring. Puanani wasn’t going to give up unless things were truly hopeless for her. He needed to eliminate all her fighters. Lumine’s Rock-type attacks would take care of the remaining Noivern, and hopefully do enough damage to Kommo-o that the rest of his friends could take it out. He looked to Kaede and Kaito, holding up his Z-Ring to signal his intention. Both nodded and fitted their chosen Z-Crystals into their own Z-Rings.

“Enough!” Puanani shouted, wielding the Dragonium Z. Kommo-o looked to her, waiting to receive the power of the Z-Crystal, but nothing happened. Puanani looked shocked, clutching the crystal in horror.

“It’s hard to use a Dragon Z-Move when you don’t have the Dragon Z-Crystal,” Himiko drawled, holding out her hand to reveal a dark blue crystal in her palm.

“What?” Puanani’s eyes almost bugged out of her skull upon realizing she was now holding the Flyinium Z Kiyo and Kirumi had taken from Ten Carat Hill, not the Dragonium Z. “How!?”

“When Raja flung that rock at you, I performed a special magic to switch the crystals. Hooray!” Himiko jumped enthusiastically.

Upon realizing the Z-Move wasn’t going to happen, Kommo-o almost went mad. It began swinging its fists and tail, its scales rubbing and clanging together in its anarchy. The two Noivern jumped into the air, their wings beating to create powerful gusts that blew the challengers back.

A bright light filled the cave, blinding everyone. Streams of energy washed over them like a cascade, overwhelming the Kommo-o and Noivern, who screeched in pain as they were engulfed by the attack. The battle was done, the Totem and its allies lying in a heap on the stone floor.

“How dare you!” Puanani screeched.

 _Does she not know how to say anything else?_ Shuichi rubbed his eyes, trying to blink the bright spots out of his vision. 

“Puanani, I think it’s time you gave up your position.”

Aoi stepped around Shuichi, the Totem Ribombee fluttering after her. Puanani threw the Flyinium Z to the ground, the crystal bouncing off the stone. Shuichi stood petrified, barely reacting as Yuta and Sakura walked by him as well. The three backed Puanani against the cave wall. Several family members on the bridges and ledges began shouting, claiming the trio were committing treason and taboo.

“Quiet!” Puanani demanded, the family members’ voices dying down. 

“You,” she turned on Sakura and Aoi, “you have forgotten the sacred rites. Don’t you see? The Beasts of Light have returned to our world, but their anger at the condition of the islands have kept them from returning to us, their people! Only by reverting to what we once were can we reclaim the power of the stars.”

“That is not your concern anymore,” said Sakura.

There must have been some sort of secret power behind her words, because Puanani gasped and seized her necklace. The crystal pendant turned smoky gray and then shattered, small shards crumbling to the stone floor. Yuta opened his palm, revealing he now had the same crystal in his grasp.

“But… you are not of the Keala family!” Puanani protested. 

“The Keala family betrayed Tapu Fini; my heritage didn’t matter to her,” Yuta replied. “I hold the Tapunium Z now. I am the Kahuna of Poni Island, partner of Tapu Fini. She has told us many things about what you’ve done: stealing Pokémon and keeping them as captives.”

Shuichi was finally shaken out of his stupor when the Totem Toxapex came scurrying past him. He yelped and ran back to his friends, watching the Pokémon threateningly raise some of its tentacles at Puanani. 

“Tapu Fini has chosen a new Kahuna?” Angie was whispering to herself. She was wringing the hem of her mustard-yellow jacket, nearly bubbling with excitement. 

“What have you done to Tapu Fini to manipulate her mind?” Puanani spat in an accusatory tone. “She knows more than any about what dangers lurk on the horizon.”

“You have forgotten _alola ‘āina,_ to love and nurture the land. You have poisoned this island,” Aoi stated.

Puanani scoffed in contempt. “The Pillager will descend upon this world and consume all light, but we, the devout protectors of the islands, will remain, as will the Pokémon of the islands. All else will perish.” 

_Pillager!?_ “There are others who know the story,” Shuichi interjected. “ _Necrozma_ will never take the light.” 

“You…” Puanani gaped in astonishment, “you know it’s true name?”

“I think you freaks have isolated yourselves for too long,” Miu laughed.

“Silence whore!”

“Wh-whore?” Miu shuddered, sweat dripping down her face.

“Nebby!” Kaito cupped his hands around his mouth and called out for his Pokémon, hoping the little starcloud would Teleport to him like he was prone to doing.

“Ah yes,” Sakura grabbed Puanani’s upper arm, prompting the family to start shouting threats, but they were silenced with a single glare. “Take us to where you have hoarded the stolen Pokémon. They don’t belong to you.”

“We did not take them for our personal preference!” Puanani argued. “We brought them here to keep them safe.”

“Nothing you say can justify the things you’ve done.”

“The Aether Foundation agrees with us.”

“What!?” Shuichi ran to Sakura’s side, having heard the elderly woman’s muttering. “The Aether Foundation? But they’re the ones who’ve been stopping the traffickers!”

Puanani’s face twisted into a cruel sneer. “You know so little. The Foundation has aided us from the beginning. They know the truth and it is their noble mission to protect the Pokémon of these islands. The traffickers obey us, but we do not have the means to keep all the Pokémon here. So, the Foundation stops some of the ships and keep the Pokémon on board.”

“Puanani,” Aoi pulled out some rope from her bag, the same rope intended for Monokuma yesterday, “you are under arrest. As for the rest of you,” she raised her voice to address the rest of the Keala family, who cowered in the shadows, “the International Police will be here to collect the Pokémon you’ve all had a hand in abducting. So, I suggest you make yourselves scarce.”

“You can either lead us to where you’re hiding the Pokémon, or we’ll tear this place apart ourselves,” Sakura threatened Puanani, who merely glared in response.

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Kiyo spoke up. Banette and Misdreavus suddenly appeared after phasing through the cave wall. In all the pandemonium, Shuichi hadn’t seen the two Ghost-types, but assumed they were around. Now, it looked like they had slipped away early into the battle and freely explored the tunnels without worrying about being caught.

"In our investigations of the old maps of the island back in Seafolk Village, Kirumi and I discovered the vast series of tunnels carved into the stone," Kiyo explained. "Himiko and I sent our Ghost-types capable of phasing through walls to search the tunnels." 

Given the Keala family lived here in isolation, Shuichi expected there to be a lot more space for growing food and other necessities, but the sheer size of the tunnel system, weaving in and out of the thick rock of the mountain, was breathtaking. Stepping into the light was like a breath of fresh air after the dimness of the tunnels— but they weren’t outside. Just like the conservation area of Aether Paradise, they appeared to be in a large room covered by a dome, but this was a dome ceiling formed by a thin layer of rock, created by a massive lava bubble thousands of years ago. In the hollow below was a stream with thick grasses and an orchard.

And dozens and dozens of Alolan Pokémon.

The Pokémon all raised their heads to see who had come into the lava dome and, upon realizing their new visitors were not members of the Keala family, happily rushed to the tunnel entrance to crowd Shuichi and his friends. They were more than happy to comfort the Pokémon, who jumped and tried to lick their faces, or wound themselves around their legs, or settled on shoulders until the poor overwhelmed individuals nearly collapsed under the weight.

Aoi had pulled out her phone and was talking excitedly to whoever was on the other end of the line, using her other hand to push down at the Pokémon trying to crowd her. Kaito was running around, frantically searching for any sign of the little purple starcloud, but Shuichi had a sinking feeling he wasn’t going to find Nebby. Something in the back of his mind told him it would be fruitless, but he had come so far and risked so much, Shuichi couldn’t help but search through the horde of Pokémon. All these Pokémon, stolen from their families by traffickers employed by the Keala family for the sake of, allegedly, protecting them. Once the International Police were alerted, these Pokémon would be returned to their families. They would get a happy ending.

Only now did Shuichi realize the Monokubs had been right, back when they first met at Memorial Hill. Seeking out the Keala family confirmed the truth behind the trafficking ring’s motivation, but that wasn’t what he’d been looking for. He was looking for Mosaic. 

And Mosaic wasn’t here.


	16. Paradise Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Convinced the Aether Foundation has Nebby and Mosaic, Shuichi tries, and fails, to reach Paradise on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Eevee (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 16: Paradise Lost

“How can you say that!? Shuichi, did you forget what the Foundation did for us? If they were a part of this, don’t you think they would have done something to us when they found us in the cargo hold?”

“I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

But Kaito was far from done with his argument. He hadn’t stopped ever since they left the Vast Poni Canyon, ranting and debating the entire journey back to Seafolk Village, much to everyone’s chagrin. He just couldn’t figure out why Shuichi was so adamant about accusing the Aether Foundation in playing a part in the trafficking ring. 

“Shuichi, you’re not talking sense!”

“I said,” Shuichi jumped to his feet, his chair sliding out backward from his sudden movement, “I don’t want to talk about it!”

Kaito scowled but, thankfully, shut his mouth. Shuichi dragged his chair back and sat down at one of the long tables in the Wailord boat. The eighteen Z-Crystals were spread on the tabletop before him. Since the Keala family’s home ground wasn’t the end of the journey, he had claimed the Dragonium Z and completed the set, but it meant little to him. He had eighteen Z-Crystals and no Mosaic. What was the point anymore?

“Okay,” Aoi, Yuta, and Sakura entered the Wailord boat, prompting Shuichi and his friends to turn in their chairs to see what news they had. “Puanani is locked up and won’t be going anywhere. We don’t really have a jail, so she’s in a storage room. The International Police have been contacted, so this will all be over soon, hopefully.”

Shuichi frowned in response. He was happy the Keala family had been stopped, which meant the trafficking would stop, and the Pokémon would be returned to their families, but he couldn’t help feeling like all his effort had been vain. On the mainland, he stopped the traffickers by halting their operations. He came to Alola solely to find Mosaic and Nebby, not find the source of the trafficking ring.

“Shuichi,” Aoi pulled out the chair beside him and sat down. “I know you aren’t feeling the best at the moment, but I need you to explain something to me. Puanani spoke of the Pillager of Light, a very old story that few know of, but you said something back to her. She said you spoke its ‘true name.’”

Kaede and Keebo exchanged glances. They knew about the Pillager since they heard the story as Nagisa told it. It appeared Aoi knew the story as Angie also knew it, but Kaede, Keebo, and Shuichi had learned the “real story.”

Shuichi sighed, picking up the Rockium Z and fiddling with it. “Angie, Kiyo, and Kirumi… you didn’t find the story at Malie Library, right?”

“Yes, that is correct,” Kirumi replied.

“That’s because Nagisa had it. He showed it to us at Aether House, before Monokuma attacked.”

“Then where is the story?” Kiyo asked.

“It was probably destroyed by Guzzlord.” Shuichi might as well stabbed Kiyo given the latter’s reaction to learning a one-of-a-kind document of ancient Alolan history was destroyed. “Nagisa told us the story is real, and the Pillager of Light’s true name is Necrozma. It is an empty husk that steals light to try and restore itself after it was broken. Broken… by Nagisa’s ancestors… from another world.”

“Another world!?” Kaito interjected. “Now I know something isn’t right.”

“You are _obsessed_ with space!” Shuichi argued back. “You’re the most likely person I would assume believed in aliens.” 

“Aliens?” Phantom repeated. “Wha— really!?” He looked thrilled at the prospect, nearly jumping up and down in his chair.

“Nagisa said he’s from another world,” Shuichi continued, “a world consumed by darkness because its light was stolen by Necrozma long ago. Nagisa came to this world because he found remnants of Necrozma’s influence here, but we still have light. He says it’s his wish to find a way to stop Necrozma and restore light to his world.”

“So, the Keala family believes Necrozma is coming to take the light, but the islands would be saved,” said Sakura. “They stole all those Pokémon to try and keep them safe.”

“That still doesn’t justify their actions,” said Rantaro.

“Of course it doesn’t.”

“I feel it is best we hear the story of the Pillager of Light,” Kiyo spoke up. “If that is the story the Keala family knows, it may be easier to see things from their point of view if we hear the story itself.”

Yuta and Sakura looked to Aoi, who sighed and scratched the side of her head. “It’s been a long time, let me think for a second.”

“Long ago, but after Lunala and Solgaleo shaped the light into the sun and moon, an entity appeared in our world who stole the light. Lunala and Solgaleo tried to fight against this entity, but it defeated them. It was only through the power of the progenitors of the old families and the Tapu that the Pillager of Light was vanquished and driven away.”

“Why would the Keala family believe the Pillager is coming back?” Tsumugi asked. “If the story took place even before the old families were established, it sounds like it was very long time ago.”

“Maybe there are some signs we’re not seeing?” Himiko suggested.

“Lunala has returned,” Angie stood on her chair, so everyone would pay attention to her. “If she has come to us, then perhaps Solgaleo is here as well. Maybe the Keala family is worried history will repeat itself.”

“Or someone told them Necrozma was coming,” Shuichi stated. “Nagisa said he researched something called ‘Ultra Wormholes.’ He said these Ultra Wormholes are how Necrozma came to our world. What if he saw something that indicated Necrozma was returning, and then the Aether Foundation told the Keala family?”

“Then why wouldn’t they tell more than the Keala family!?” Kaito argued. “If our world is in danger, why didn’t they tell the other regions? Why didn’t they even tell the other families? It doesn’t make sense for the Foundation to do that!”

“Puanani said the Foundation was helping her and the Keala family,” Shuichi shot back. “And we found the access card in Monokuma’s possession. Nagisa was researching the method Necrozma uses to jump between worlds, and Nagisa himself came from another world, which means the method already works.” 

“But the Foundation are the good guys!” 

“That’s a stupid worldview,” Phantom scoffed, drawing Kaito’s attention. “All people are capable of good and bad things. It’s idiotic and childish to assume we’re split into two distinct categories. Fact of the matter is, Starboy, your heroes are just as capable of villainy as your villains.”

Kaito spluttered and looked to Maki for support, but she purposefully turned away. “Nagisa’s just a little kid. Shuichi, you’re accusing him of having a hand in this.”

“Nagisa could be contributing without intending to do harm,” Shuichi responded. “Maybe he’s aware of what’s going on and maybe he isn’t. He could be researching how Necrozma moves between worlds without the intention of actually summoning it.”

“This doesn’t make any sense!” Kaito yelled. “Why would the Foundation do these things?! What would they have to gain!? Maki-roll, you don’t believe all of this, right?” 

But Maki still refused to look at Kaito, prompting him to scramble for someone’s else’s support. “Kaede, you don’t believe it, do you?”

Kaede was chewing on her lip nervously, gaze drifting around so she wouldn’t make eye contact with Kaito. “I… I don’t know. The only Aether employee I met was Nagisa, and Monokuma attacked him. If Monokuma is somehow attached to the Foundation, then Nagisa is no ally of his. Either Monokuma has nothing to do with the Foundation, or he does and Nagisa is a threat to him in some way.”

“The Foundation rescued us. Miss Yukizome gave us food, clothes, and a ferry to get to the islands. She’s not a villain!” Kaito insisted.

“There can be good people in a sinister organization. Either they don’t know or they’re actively working against it,” Shuichi replied.

“Why do you keep thinking the Foundation is evil!?” Kaito shouted, standing out of his chair to bear down on Shuichi. “The Keala family stole Pokémon, including ours! Monokuma attacked you guys! The Foundation was kind to us and helped us! Why won’t you believe the Foundation are our allies!?”

“Because the evidence says they’re not!” Shuichi shouted back, jumping to his feet and slamming the Rockium Z down on the table. He stormed out of the Wailord boat, tipping his chair over in his haste to leave.

Kaito looked shocked at Shuichi’s outburst, not used to the latter losing his temper. He stood frozen in surprise, looking around at the rest of their friends. Some of them returned his gaze while others purposefully averted theirs, but they all had the same expression: one of grief and sorrow as the two closest friends in their group screamed and shouted at one another. Realizing maybe he went too far but unable to collect himself to calmly apologize, Kaito took the coward’s way out and went upstairs. Maki sighed and pushed away from the table, following him upstairs.

Angie let out a hum of discontent and swept the Z-Crystals into her bag. Everyone tried to recover from what they just witnessed, but it was difficult to find something to occupy their minds. Kaede looked around and wasn’t fond of the idea of trying to ignore what happened. She stood up from the table and left the boat to follow Shuichi, no one speaking up in response to her exit.

She found him on the dock furthest out at sea, near where Rantaro’s boat was moored. He was leaning against a post where one of the small Sea Folk boats was tied, looking out over the water as the setting sun turned it a golden-orange color. She approached to stand beside him, choosing not to say anything.

“Did you know, sometimes, when the sun sets over the horizon, there’s a brief green flash of light?” Shuichi commented, like they were having casual conversation.

“No, I didn’t,” she responded.

“Rantaro told me about it.” Shuichi sighed, rubbing his fingers against the top of the mooring post. “Kaede, I don’t know what to do anymore. Nothing’s gone right. We’ve reached the end of the line and didn’t find what we were looking for.”

“Shuichi,” she placed a comforting hand on his shoulders, “maybe you haven’t found Mosaic _yet_ , but think about what you’ve accomplished! You broke up the trafficking ring. Once the International Police get here, they’ll return the Pokémon to their families. Everyone will know what you’ve done.”

“It was a team effort.”

“Fine, everyone will know what _we’ve_ done, but that’s not the point! Shuichi, you’ve done a great thing. Your uncle is going to be so proud of you.”

Shuichi didn’t respond, choosing to keep looking out over the water, as if he was trying to see something that wasn’t there. Kaede stayed quiet, examining Shuichi’s face for any sign of what he was feeling. The sky grew darker as the sun slipped further beyond the horizon, the stars beginning come out.

“Puanani said the Foundation would stop some of the ships because the Keala family couldn’t provide room for all of the Pokémon,” Shuichi spoke softly. “Of the three ships we arrived with, the Foundation stopped two. Mosaic and Nebby aren’t here, so there’s only one place they could be.”

Kaede raised an eyebrow and turned her head to look over the water like Shuichi was. “Wait, you can’t be serious. Shuichi, how would you feel if someone showed up on your doorstep and accused you of being a Pokémon thief?”

“So, you don’t believe me?”

“I…,” she faltered, rubbing one of her arms. “I don’t know what to believe anymore, but you seem really sure. I guess there’s no harm in visiting Paradise.”

Shuichi’s jaw visibly tightened.

“Look, please don’t make any rash decisions. Let’s sleep on it, okay? Let’s just all get a good night’s sleep, calm down, and revisit the idea in the morning. Does that sound alright?”

“…Sure.”

“Okay,” she patted his shoulder. “I’m going back to the boat. Don’t stay out too late.”

She didn’t feel comfortable leaving him out there, but she didn’t know what else to do. So, she walked with a slow, deliberate stride across the docks, taking a few precious moments to look at all the boats and sun-fire orange water with splashes of purple and blue gradually overtaking the night sky.

“How is he?” Yuta asked once Kaede reached the entrance to the Wailord boat.

“I think he’ll be okay. He and Kaito have never fought before. They’ve had disagreements, but nothing like this. He just needs a few minutes to himself.”

“He better not stay out too late. There’s a storm brewing on the open water.”

“Storm?” Kaede repeated. “Are we going to be okay?”

“Don’t worry,” Yuta assured her. “The worst we’ll get is some choppy waves. The storm’s forming on the open sea That’s why all the Sea Folk have gathered here; only a fool would try to sail through a tropical storm.”

*

Shuichi crept down the stairs from the upper story of the Wailord boat, holding Scout tightly to his chest. Lumine walked carefully behind him. Neither were keen about his plan, but they weren’t about to abandon their trainer. Shuichi tightened the strap of his messenger bag, taking a quick glance around the kitchen area to make sure no one was sneaking a midnight snack before rushing out the door. There was a heavy humidity in the night air, dark clouds covering the night sky.

He had “borrowed” a compass to find his way across the sea. According to the maps he had looked at posted on the wall of dining area in the Wailord boat, Aether Paradise wasn’t directly east of Poni Island, but if he kept going that way, he was bound to see the lights of the artificial island on the water. 

Maybe this was stupid, really stupid, but he felt hopeless about his options. His and Kaito’s argument revealed a dichotomy in their friend group. Maybe nobody had stated their opinion, but he had seen their expressions. Some of his friends believed him and his theories, probably strengthened by his position as a detective, but the rest didn’t believe him. They were split down the middle on opposite sides like some strange debate. He and Kaito were the catalysts driving the divide and sometimes…

Sometimes it was better to remove oneself from the situation for the sake of others.

Shuichi set Scout down on the docks and pulled out his phone from his bag. There was no foretelling what was going to happen, so he wanted to make sure at least someone knew his intentions.

“Hello?” Uncle Jiro’s voice was scratchy. If it was after midnight here on the islands, it was the early hours of the morning on the mainland. No doubt Jiro had been woken up by Shuichi’s call.

“Hi Uncle Jiro.”

“Shuichi? How are you? Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you for a while.”

“I’m… I’m okay. No… no, I’m not. Uncle,” Shuichi scratched the back of his neck, “I’m lost. I don’t know what to do anymore. We’ve reached what we thought was the end and didn’t find what we were looking for.”

“Your secret Pokémon?”

“Yeah. Uncle Jiro, I’m in over my head.”

“Then come home.”

“I can’t do that.” A strong wind blew by, nearly taking Shuichi’s bucket hat with it. “I’m about to do something really stupid and reckless, but I feel like I don’t have a choice anymore.”

“Shuichi, what are you doing!?”

“I’m sorry. Talk to you soon… maybe.” He ended the call before Jiro could say anything else and placed his cell phone in the waterproof bag Aoi gave him, sealing it shut and stowing it in his messenger bag just as the screen lit up to indicate Jiro was calling him back. Shuichi exhaled a shaky breath and kneeled to address his Pokémon.

“Guys, I know you’re scared about this, I am too, but you can stay here. You don’t have to go with me.”

Lumine and Scout exchanged glances and refused to stand up. Shuichi, secretly relieved at their resolve, returned them to their Pokéballs and slipped the items into his bag. He untied the small boat from the post he had been leaning against hours earlier and jumped down, the boat rocking violently enough he fell. He didn’t have the luxury of a group of Sharpedo pulling it for him, but there was a strong wind picking up. The boat did have a sail, although the mast was collapsed at the moment. He didn’t know much about boating, but there was no time like the present to learn.

He grabbed a rope that appeared to be tied to the mast and pulled it. The mast slowly rose up until it was straight. He tied the rope in place and unfurled the sail, the wind immediately filling it. After using one of the oars to push off the dock, the gusts carried him across the water, pointing him eastward according to the compass. He sat down on one of the wooden seats, fingers tightly clutching the edge of the seat. He felt comfortable in Rantaro’s boat because it was so large and had an expert driving it. This was probably one of the scariest things he had ever done.

The wind somehow grew stronger, violently whipping the sail so harshly Shuichi was afraid it would rip. Rain suddenly began to downpour without any warning. The wind blew the fat raindrops into Shuichi’s face, painfully hitting him in the eye. One hand let go of the seat and rubbed at his face, only for the boat to violently tip, throwing him to the floor. The waves started to roll, tossing the boat side-to-side. Shuichi scrambled to his knees and hugged the mast. His knot must have not been the best since the rope came loose and whipped him across the shoulders. The mast started collapsing, the lack of sail preventing the boat from catching the wind. The waves became crueler, spinning the boat into a vulnerable position.

Shuichi barely had time to scream before the boat tipped over, spilling him into the ocean. He broke through the surface of the water, one hand instinctively grabbing the strap of his messenger bag to keep it from being carried away. He had once been told to kick off his shoes if he were in a drowning situation because they would weigh him down, but they were laced too tightly for him to get them off. The capsized boat floated near him and he tried to desperately claw his way on top of it, his nails painfully digging into the wood. Another wave crashed into him, throwing him off the boat. The boat was carried further away, taking with it his last hope for surviving the night.

There were two flashes of light and suddenly Lumine and Scout were in the water beside him. Shuichi began to panic even more. Lumine was a Rock-type; the water wasn’t imbued with energy, so it wouldn’t hurt right away, but it would eventually engulf him. Nevertheless, Lumine swam to Shuichi so his trainer could grab the stones in his mane. Shuichi reached out and snagged Scout’s tail, dragging to Eevee to his chest. The waves continued to threaten to bowl them over, a powerful one briefly pushing them under. They reemerged, Shuichi barely realizing his hat had been knocked off. Lumine’s powerful legs cut through the water, but he was starting to falter. Shuichi readjusted his grip by hooking an arm around Lumine’s neck, trying to support the Lycanroc instead of the other way around. The wind howled like a great beast as another wave crashed down on their heads, separating Shuichi and Lumine.

_This is all my fault. We’re going to die because I made a stupid choice!_

Shuichi broke through the surface, still clutching Scout’s sodden body. The dark clouds overhead shifted, a sliver of moonlight shining through. In the bright light, Shuichi could see the dark shape of Lumine’s body. He could also see several items had escaped from his messenger bag and were floating on the surface of the water. There was his file of information he had collected on Mosaic, the pages absorbing water and smudging his writing. There was his waterproof bag, filled with enough air it floated instead of sinking his cellphone and wallet to the bottom of the sea. And there was the ti leaf.

_Angie’s Rockruff drowned saving her. Is that what’s going to happen to me? Am I going to drown? Are Lumine and Scout going to die?_

Angie said the ti leaf would bring him good luck. She had taken it off the plant growing from her Rockruff’s grave. What luck had it brought him? Had he survived Guzzlord’s attack because of it? Had he successfully collected the Z-Crystals because of it? The moonlight was dying as the clouds shifted back. Using what he believed was the last of his strength, he raised one arm out of the water and reached for the ti leaf.

He touched something else.

Suddenly, Shuichi was lifted out of the water, resting on the back of a large Mantine. He tightly gripped one of its antennae. That action was probably very painful for the Pokémon, but it didn’t try to shake him off. He looked to the area where he last saw Lumine and saw the Lycanroc passed out on the back of another Mantine. An entire pod had emerged from below them, the Mantine without passengers circling around them. Another wave began cresting, ready to crash down on their heads, but one of the Mantine suddenly leapt out of the water, slicing through the wave with an Air Slash attack. 

Shuichi held tightly to his Mantine as it started to swim forward, smoothly cutting through the choppy water with its oar-like fins. The Mantine carrying Lumine swam beside him, the rest of the pod continuing to cut down any wave attempting to hit them. Scout’s tiny heart fluttered beneath Shuichi’s fingertips and Shuichi could feel his own heart pounding, realizing he was gasping for breath through his sobs of relief. The dark clouds had covered the moon once more and he couldn’t see where they were going, but he placed his trust in the Mantine. Just like Angie must have done years ago.

He didn’t know how long they swam for. He was almost positive he passed out at some point, his desperation keeping him gripping the Mantine. They continued onward, the waves gradually becoming calmer, either because the storm was dying, or they were moving out of its range. Now the Mantine moved into their pod formation, resembling a V in the water like how bird Pokémon flew in the sky. 

Shuichi flinched when his toes scraped some sort of firm surface. The Mantine stopped swimming, tipping its fins back to signal Shuichi to get off. He cautiously slid off its back, his knees hitting sand. Realizing he was safe, he scrambled towards the beach he couldn’t see but knew was there, slipping and dunking his face into the shallow water. The Mantine carrying Lumine was trying to gently slide him off but was reluctant since the Lycanroc was unconscious. Shuichi struggled to his feet and grabbed Lumine by the scruff. With a Pokémon in each hand, he trudged through the shallows and as far up the beach he could before he fell to his knees and collapsed, resting his cheek against the coarse sand and shutting his eyes. He had nearly lost everything tonight; only divine intervention saved his and his Pokémons’ lives, so he praised Lunala, the Guardian deities, Arceus, and whatever else he could think of. Or, maybe he should thank one entity in particular.

Did the spirit of Angie’s Rockruff bless him with supernatural luck, channeled through the ti leaf gifted from her grave?

Anything was possible.

*Seafolk Village*

Kaito stood in the middle of the staircase, sighing and running a hand through his hair. Now that he had cooled off from the previous night, he had started reflecting on his behavior. He was still irritated, but no longer angry. Shuichi was his friend; even if Kaito had his doubts about Shuichi’s beliefs concerning the Aether Foundation, it wasn’t enough to break their friendship. Now, he had to undergo the walk of shame and apologize.

Everyone raised their heads when he stepped off the last stair and shuffled over to the dining area. Maki watched him with a look of both encouragement and firmness. He stepped up to the head of the table most of his friends were sitting at, clearing his throat and scratching the side of his head.

“I’d… um, I’d just like to apologize for how I acted last night. My behavior was completely inappropriate, so… I’m sorry.”

He finally looked up and made eye contact with each of his friends, most of them offering a smile of forgiveness (except Phantom, who crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue), until he noticed the one who needed his apology the most wasn’t there.

“Where’s Shuichi?”

“Probably still sleeping,” Ryoma answered. “You know how he is.”

Kaito heaved a sigh when he realized he had to do the walk of shame again. He left the table and marched back up the stairs. The door to the room Shuichi had stayed in was ajar, but he rapped his knuckles lightly against the wood to be polite as he stepped into the room. 

The empty room.

One of the two beds was neatly made while the other was slightly mussed, but there were no people or Pokémon in the room. Kaito swallowed a lump starting to form in his throat. There was no reason he should be uneasy, but he couldn’t help but feel anxious for some reason. He spun on his heel and rushed back down the stairs.

“Who shared a room with Shuichi?” he asked his friends.

“I did,” Rantaro spoke up. “What’s wrong?”

“Shuichi isn’t there.”

Several of them stood up from their chairs and raced up the stairs, nearly slamming into one another in their haste to see the empty room for themselves. Kaito waited at the bottom of the staircase for them to return, which they did at a much slower pace and with mystified expressions.

“Rantaro,” Kaede’s voice shook slightly as she spoke, “do you remember seeing Shuichi this morning?”

“I… I didn’t check his bed. I just assumed…”

“His duffel is still up there,” said Kirumi. “But his messenger bag is missing, as are Scout, Lumine, and their Pokéballs.”

“Maybe…” Kaito struggled for an answer, trying to swallow the dread threatening to burst out of his chest. “Maybe he went for a walk. He likes to go to quiet places when he’s upset or stressed.”

“Whoa,” Aoi walked through the door of the Wailord boat, pausing when she saw all of them crowded in front of the stairs. “What’s going on here?”

“Have you seen Shuichi today?” Kaede burst, the panic obvious in her tone.

“T-today? No.” Aoi took a step back in shock. “Is he missing?”

No one answered her; instead, Kaede pushed past her and rushed outside, looking around at the people milling about on the docks, desperately trying to find her missing friend among them. Her shoes pounded against the wood as she ran up and down the lengths of the docks. The blood pounding in her ears prevented her from hearing her friends running around and calling Shuichi’s name. She targeted the far pier where she and Shuichi had conversed the night before. There were several Sea Folk crowded in the area, investigating the bare mooring post that she swore had a boat tied to it last night.

“What’s going on?” she asked, panting from running and her own rising panic. 

“We think the storm waves might have knocked a boat loose,” one of the Sea Folk responded. “One of our smaller speed vessels was tied here last night.”

 _No, no, please no._ Tears began to blur Kaede’s vision. Her breath hitched, hands covering her mouth to keep her sobs quiet, prompting the Sea Folk to ask if she was okay.

_Don’t panic. It’s okay. You don’t know for sure if he took the boat. Maybe he’s on the island. He has to be. He’s not missing; he’s just gone right now. He’s okay. He’s okay. He’s okay._

“Kaede?” Kaito had followed her, a similar look of panic on his face. “Tenko and Angie went to shore to search the Poni Wilds. He’s… he’s out there, right? He’s just taking a stroll around the island to cool off. When he gets back, I’ll apologize to him, and everything will be okay. We’ll come up with a new plan of where to start looking for Nebby and Mosaic.”

Aoi started to approach them but was distracted by a Pokémon’s cry from the water. Kaede and Kaito watched her as she approached the edge of the dock, searching for what had called out to her. A Lanturn was poking its head out of the water, its lure capped by some black-colored object. Aoi dropped to her knees, reaching out and plucking the object from the Lanturn. She flattened it, feeling the material with her fingers. Aoi didn’t need to contemplate what the object was, Kaede’s piercing howl of anguish told her all she needed to know.

It was Shuichi’s hat.

*

Shuichi groaned as he lifted his head. It felt like it weighed a thousand tons. He struggled to his hands and knees, sand dropping from his clothes, dried from lying in the morning sun. He blinked a couple times, his eyes still slightly stinging from the salt water. Scout was still lying beside him in the sand, but he was able to see his chest rising and falling. Shuichi glanced to his other side, watching as Lumine stirred in the sand as well. They were all alive.

Shuichi eased himself into a sitting position, noticing several items that had been in his messenger bag were strewn along the beach. The pages from his file were little more than crumpled, soaked sheets full of smudged ink and graphite. There went those notes. He also saw his waterproof bag had been saved by one of the Mantine. He crawled along the beach and grabbed the bag, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw his phone and wallet were inside and unharmed. He unzipped the bag and pulled out his phone, intending to call his uncle and friends to ensure they knew he was okay, but saw his battery was dead. He had left in the middle night after all; his phone hadn’t had enough time to fully charge.

_Okay, let’s collect our bearings. First thing’s first, where are we?_

It looked like your typical beach: white sand, clear blue water, palms trees and ferns providing some shade. It looked like it could have been anywhere, other than Ula’Ula Island’s black sand beach. Since Ula’Ula was on the other end of the island chain, he assumed he wasn’t there.

Lumine finally managed to stand up and shake the sand out of his fur. Scout sat up when some of the sand hit him in the face. The three of them were alive and not too shaken. Shuichi grabbed all the items that had escaped his bag. The pages were useless, but he wasn’t going to litter the beach. The ti leaf was noticeably missing; maybe the Mantine had assumed it was some storm debris, while the rest of his belongings obviously weren’t. That was okay though; he felt like he was beginning to push the limits of the luck the leaf was granting him. 

Shuichi haphazardly packed everything into his bag, readjusted the strap, and started hiking up the shore. It normally wouldn’t take so much effort, but he was exhausted from the previous night’s activities. Scout and Lumine struggled after him, the dry sand further up the beach crumbling under their feet and making it difficult to traverse. The area of the beach they were on was barren of any activity, but, over the splashing of the waves, he could hear excited voices in the distance. He reached the cliff face, stretching out and resting a hand against the sun-warmed rock. Shuichi looked right and left, noticing a space between the plants growing on the stone. He trudged to the spacing, keeping a hand against the stone in case he collapsed.

The space turned out to be a steep, winding path he wouldn’t have considered climbing under normal circumstances. He picked up Scout and rested the Eevee on his shoulders before starting the climb, gripping protruding rocks and roots with his hands. Lumine was panting harshly from the effort of climbing, but he refused to rest until they reached the top. Shuichi rolled onto his back, Scout jumping down from his shoulders, staring at the bright blue sky as he struggled to catch his breath. He still didn’t know where he was after looking around the coastal area. He saw a large gray building between the space of a grove of palm trees. It looked like the hotel he had seen in the oasis near Haina Desert, so he assumed it was another hotel. At least he had a place to stay for the night, maybe they even had a phone he could use to call his friends.

Shuichi forced himself to his feet. There was a berry tree nearby, but no berries had fallen, and the ones still in the tree didn’t look ripe. Shuichi’s stomach growled as he longingly stared at the berries. Lumine barked lowly, nose raised in the air as he sniffed. He started walking away, his pace uneven and shaky, leaving Shuichi and Scout to follow him. Eventually, the Lycanroc led them to an orchard, the trees teeming with juicy-looking berries on the lower branches. Shuichi’s mouth watered, and he jumped up to snag one of the branches, accidently breaking it off. He didn’t have time to feel remorseful about it though, grabbing several berries for him and his Pokémon to begin feasting. He felt the energy begin to return to his body as he ate more and more berries, tossing the cores into a pile behind him. Soon, he was satiated, as were Lumine and Scout, and could do nothing but lie in the grass, waiting for his food to settle— only for a blunt object to slam into the ground mere centimeters from his head.

“You motherfuckers!” A man was bearing down on Shuichi, his lilac eyes blazing with rage. With a burst of adrenaline, Shuichi leapt to his feet, backing away from the man and his sledgehammer. The man had tanned skin, but not enough that Shuichi assumed he was an Alolan, just bronzed from the sun. His most defining feature, however, was the extreme, over-the-top pompadour that almost stood a foot in front of his face.

“W-w-wait!” Shuichi stammered. “I-I j-just need—,”

“Get the fuck off my property!” the man roared, swinging the sledgehammer again.

Shuichi grabbed Scout, protectively holding the Eevee against his chest. Lumine bared his teeth, his fur bristling as he snarled at their attacker, but a Houndoom snapped at his muzzle, forcing Lumine to back away. A Granbull flanked Lumine on his other side, slamming its front paws together like it was a boxer. 

“Wait, please!” Shuichi begged. “I don’t know where I am!”

“How can you be lost here?” the man spat. “It’s a straight path.”

“Please…” Shuichi swallowed the lump in his throat. “What island am I on?”

The man blinked in confusion. “How do you lose track of the island you’re on?”

“I was trying to sail to Aether Paradise last night. The storm capsized my boat and a pod of Mantine brought me here.”

The man looked as if he were caught between doubting and believing Shuichi at the same time. He relaxed his grip on the sledgehammer but wouldn’t put it down. His two Pokémon backed away to stand on either side of him, but their muscles were still tensed for a fight.

“What’s your name?” the man asked.

“Shuichi Saihara.”

The change in the man’s expression was so subtle Shuichi almost believed he had imagined it. The man growled, pounding the head of the sledgehammer against the dirt to relieve some of his frustration.

“Alright, come with me.”

The man turned away, walking towards the house nestled invitingly among the orchard trees. Shuichi hesitated until the Granbull and Houndoom growled at him. He started following, one hand holding Scout and the other gripping a rock in Lumine’s mane. The Granbull and Houndoom flanked the trio, preventing them from running away.

The sledgehammer was resting against the frame of the screen door. Thankful the man left it outside, Shuichi felt a little more comfortable going inside, enough that he let go of Lumine’s mane. There was a distinct coziness to the interior’s design and layout, something about the furniture and artwork on the walls. There were two large Pokémon beds against the wall with food bowls, probably for Granbull and Houndoom. Shuichi didn’t see the man right away and almost called out for him, until he emerged from a hallway accompanied by a much smaller person.

The second person was shorter than Phantom and had light brown hair that curled upward at the tips. They were wearing unisex clothing and, honestly, Shuichi couldn’t tell if they were a boy or a girl. The smaller figure tilted their head curiously, observing Shuichi and his Pokémon.

“This is Shuichi Saihara,” said the man. “I caught him eating from the orchard.”

The smaller figure gasped lightly. “What are the odds?”

“You know me?” Shuichi asked uncertainly.

“Um… yeah, our friends told us about you.” But it sounded like they were scrambling for an answer. “I’m Chihiro Fujisaki. This is Mondo Oowada, sorry if he scared you.”

“Why do I have to be sorry?” Mondo complained. “He was being a thief!”

“Mondo!” Chihiro scolded him. “You are not being a good host! What would Taka say?”

Mondo’s face suddenly looked a little pale. “You’re not gonna tell him, right? C’mon Chihiro, don’t throw me under the bus like that!”

“It’s okay,” Chihiro walked over and took Shuichi’s free hand. “Mondo’s a good guy, he’s just not very trusting.”

Mondo groaned and disappeared back down the hall, a heavy door slamming. Chihiro giggled despite Mondo’s behavior, pulling Shuichi into the kitchen. Realizing the situation had been diffused, Shuichi felt comfortable putting Scout down, and was secretly glad when the Eevee chose to stick closely to him.

“Stop the presses, we have ice cream!” Chihiro announced, pulling out the tub of frozen treat from the freezer. “I know you helped yourself to our berries, but do you have room for dessert?”

_Did anyone never have time for dessert?_

Chihiro pulled out two different tubs and ice cream, and Shuichi almost assumed they were offering two flavors, but Chihiro explained one of the flavors was special ice cream for Pokémon. The Houndoom and Granbull immediately scrambled for the kitchen upon hearing there was ice cream. Chihiro introduced them as Rex and Chuck respectively, Mondo’s Pokémon.

“We do not slam doors in this house!” a new voice scolded from near the back of the house.

Shuichi snapped his head in the direction of the hall, waiting with bated breath to see who was going to join them. A man marched out of the hall, his perfect posture and behavior almost suggesting a military background. He had intense red eyes and closely-cropped black hair, as well as large bushy eyebrows, but there was something about him that seemed familiar. Shuichi was positive he had never seen this man before, but the feeling of déjà vu was overpowering.

“Hello,” the man immediately strode up to Shuichi. “I am Kiyotaka Ishimaru, may I ask who you are and what you are doing here?”

“Oh!” Shuichi wilted slightly under his intensity. “I’m Shuichi Saihara, I was shipwrecked in the storm last night.”

“Shuichi Saihara,” Kiyotaka repeated softly to himself. “By any chance, are you related to Jiro Saihara?”

“Yeah! He’s my uncle. How do you know him?”

“My father is Takaaki Ishimaru. I believe they have worked together many times.”

 _That’s why he looks familiar! What a small world._ Kiyotaka was the spitting image of Takaaki. Shuichi remembered the latter mentioning he had a son who had moved to Alola.

“Welcome to our home, Shuichi. I apologize if Mondo was a less-than-courteous host; he should know better. I hope Chihiro is behaving more politely, he usually does.”

So, Chihiro was a boy; that was good to know. Now he wouldn’t embarrass himself by asking. Shuichi affirmed Chihiro was behaving just fine, wondering why Kiyotaka was so obsessed with Chihiro and Mondo behaving themselves in their own house. He could understand being a good host to house guests, but not to this degree. Chihiro didn’t seem too bothered by it though; instead, choosing to spoon some ice cream into several bowls and divvying it out to the Pokémon and saving two for himself and Shuichi. 

The door slammed again, indicating Mondo was returning from the back of the house. Kiyotaka spun on his heel, ready to chide Mondo for slamming the door, but the taller man grabbed his face in his palm. Shuichi gasped lightly, afraid he was about to see an assault happen, but Kiyotaka continued lecturing into Mondo’s hand. It was only after he was finished that Mondo lowered his arm.

“I don’t feel like being scolded. Hey, you eatin’ this?” Mondo asked Shuichi, who decided to surrender his bowl of ice cream lest he anger the larger man and bring out the temper that caused him to swing a sledgehammer at people.

“Mondo!” Kiyotaka reprimanded him, but Mondo seemingly ignored him and continued eating the ice cream. 

Kiyotaka sighed heavily. “Why do I even bother sometimes?”

“Because you want me to be a better person,” Mondo patted his shoulder, surprisingly gentle. “And you see a potential in me no else does.”

Kiyotaka hummed in agreement and pressed himself against Mondo’s side, like he was trying to hug him, but it was a brief movement. Mondo took the bowl and retreated down the hall once more, returning to whatever room was back there.

“Chihiro,” Kiyotaka spoke, “I have an appointment to keep in Hau’oli City. Shuichi, you are welcome to use our shower and wash your clothes. I suspect all that sand and salt is uncomfortable.”

“Oh, thank you!” Shuichi replied, genuinely grateful for the chance to shower.

“You are also welcome to use Rex and Chuck’s brushes to groom your Eevee and Lycanroc.” With that, Kiyotaka bid them farewell and marched out of the house. Shuichi watched him leave, noticing the juxtaposition of Kiyotaka’s crisp attire against the rural background of the island.

Chihiro took his bowl of ice cream and settled onto the couch in the living room. An expensive-looking laptop was on the coffee table, the perfect height for Chihiro to start typing what looked like some coding into a window with a black background.

“Mondo and Kiyotaka…are they…?” 

“Gay for each other? Yeah,” Chihiro replied bluntly.

“I was going to say ‘boyfriends’ but I guess that works too.” Shuichi couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the mental image of those two behaving like a couple. The only non-married couples he was familiar with were Maki and Kaito, and Kirumi and Kiyo. The former behaved more like a hyperactive child and his babysitter, while the latter were so formal with one another one almost believed they were business partners, not romantic ones.

Oh wait, Nagito and Hajime were a non-married couple too. They behaved like how he visualized a couple should. He remembered Hajime comforting Nagito when Joy was stolen, and how affectionate they were when he had lunch with them.

“Does it bother you?” Chihiro spoke up.

“Wha—? No! No, of course not!” Shuichi sputtered. “I’m totally fine with it. They just don’t seem like the type.” 

“You can’t always tell.” 

“Boy, do I know that.” 

“Have you had issues like that in the past?” 

“My skinny frame and long eyelashes… people sometimes assume I’m gay.” 

“And you’re not.” That was a statement, not a question.

“No, I’m bi.” 

“I’m asexual, so I usually don’t pay that much attention. So, you’ve dated men and women?” 

“Dated? No, not really. Although, there is someone I like.”

Chihiro’s laptop chimed. Both he and Shuichi looked down at the toolbar to see Chihiro had an email update. Shuichi purposefully looked away, not wanting to pry into Chihiro’s business. Since there was no time like the present, he asked which direction the bathroom was so he could shower.

*Seafolk Village*

“It’s all my fault! It’s all my fault! It’s all my fault!” Kaito sobbed, rhythmically pounding his fists against his own head. Tears trailed down his cheeks, speckling the dirt beneath his feet. After seeing Shuichi’s hat, he had run off, eventually coming to a stop once he reached the solid ground of Poni Island.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had cried. Maybe it was that time he fell out of a tree when he was nine and scraped the entirety of his shins on the way down. He wasn’t supposed to cry; he was supposed to be strong, a hero to everyone who needed one. But he couldn’t help the emotions overwhelming him. His best friend was dead, and it was his fault.

“Stop it!” Phantom grabbed Kaito’s wrists and went deadweight, preventing Kaito from hitting himself by hanging off him. 

“What?” Kaito looked down at Phantom, surprised by the smaller boy’s sudden intrusion into his personal punishment.

“Stop hitting yourself in the head; you’ll rattle what little brains you have.”

“Go away,” but the order sounded half-hearted, like Kaito didn’t have the spirit to make him leave. In fact, he didn’t even try to pull his wrists out of Phantom’s grip.

“Look, I know you’re upset, but crying isn’t gonna bring him back.”

“Shut up!” Kaito suddenly roared, ripping himself away from Phantom and harshly pushing the smaller boy into the dirt.

Phantom looked spooked by Kaito’s outburst, used to the latter threatening him but not actually doing anything physical. Kaito grit his teeth and stood over Phantom, his fists shaking in rage, but then the fight left him. His shoulders slumped, and his arms dropped limply to his sides. He took a step back so Phantom could get up but didn’t offer any assistance.

“Why are you still here?” Kaito asked, his tone empty of any emotion.

“What? You expected me to run away right after you pushed me? Like a little bitch? Nuh-uh, that ain’t how I roll.”

“No, why are you still here? With us? You don’t know us, we don’t know you, so why are you still here?”

Why was he still here? Phantom was shocked to realize Kaito had asked a question that stumped him. He did make some good points: they didn’t know each other. Despite spending two days in the cargo hold and then about a week exploring the islands together, they were still no closer than strangers. And Phantom preferred it that way.

But still, why was he here? Why did he run after Shuichi into the ship to begin with? He had convinced himself he did it to stop the traffickers and upheld that idea all the way up until yesterday. Now, the head of Keala family was in custody, the International Police had been alerted and would be here soon, and the trafficking ring would be broken up. The agents would probably set up some stings and arrest everyone involved. So, that was the end. The trafficking ring was done for, he completed his mission.

So, why was he still here?

“You don’t care about us,” Kaito stated. “So, go away.”

“You know what? You don’t care either,” Phantom spat. He continued before Kaito could interrupt him. “If you cared about Mister Detective, you wouldn’t be sulking and sobbing just because we picked his hat out of the ocean. That doesn’t mean anything! You believe the Foundation is innocent despite some really blatant evidence from multiple sources that say they aren’t. If you’re going to ignore all that evidence and stand by your beliefs, why are you going to believe this one?”

“That was the last thing I said to him,” Kaito whispered. “I screamed at him and told him he was wrong.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you got a thick head, but what do you care more about? Being right or your friendship? Don’t bother answering; since you’ve been sobbing for the past hour, it’s obvious what matters more to you.”

“So, you don’t think he’s dead?”

Phantom shrugged nonchalantly. “If the traffickers, the Monokubs, and Monokuma couldn’t kill him, some silly ocean isn’t going to be his grave.”

Despite his statement that the group knew so little about Phantom, Kaito obviously had some level of faith in the latter’s abilities since he appeared to be comforted by Phantom’s words. At least he stopped crying, and that was good enough for Phantom. The smaller boy turned and walked away, stepping onto the strong wood of the docks. He couldn’t help but glance down at the water, glaring hatefully at the lives it so boldly took away. But, Shuichi wasn’t one of them. Phantom had confidence Shuichi was okay; he had to. 

After all, it took great skill to lie to oneself.

Across the vast lattice of Seafolk Village, Kaede didn’t have the energy to keep crying. She had collapsed the second Aoi pulled Shuichi’s hat out of the ocean, pulling her knees to her chest and leaning against the mooring post where the boat that transported Shuichi to his death had been tied to. Aoi had tried to get her back to her feet, but Gonta sprinting down the docks, screaming in anguish, had a bigger risk of causing damage, so she ran after him.

_Why? Why did this happen? Shuichi, why did you do this?_

Her head hurt, her eyes blankly staring at clear, blue water that mocked her. ‘I killed your friend,’ it mocked. ‘I killed your friend; he’s gone. You’ll never see him again.’

“How are you feeling?”

Kaede glanced away from the water to see Sakura was kneeling on the dock beside her. The Kahuna had a bottle of water in one hand, which she offered to Kaede, but she refused to uncurl. Instead, Sakura set it down next to Kaede.

“Your friends are sort of all over the place. They took the news very badly. You must be a very tight-knit group.”

“Why did this happen?” Kaede’s voice came out strained and broken. “Why didn’t I see this coming? Why didn’t I notice how he was feeling last night? I could have stopped him. He’d still be here, with us.”

“I don’t know why this happened,” Sakura responded. “And you can’t know what he was thinking. Don’t blame yourself for this, no matter how miserable you feel.”

“Is he one with the islands now?”

“What do you mean?”

“If he’s dead, is his spirit one with the islands? Is there a ritual we could do to calm his spirit? Send him to rest?”

“Are you that willing to accept defeat?” Sakura said with a dark tone to her voice. “I’m not trying to make light of the tragedy that occurred here, but if you have any faith in your friend, wouldn’t you cling to the smallest bit of hope that he’s still alive?”

“I don’t know what to do anymore.”

When Sakura didn’t respond, Kaede risked uncurling from her ball of misery enough to look up and see what had drawn the other woman’s attention. Sakura was gazing down the docks, a look of shock and amazement on her face. Kaede followed her gaze and was so overcome with surprise the rest of her body uncurled by itself. Yuta was kneeling at the edge of the pier, surrounded by several bowing Sea Folk, his hands extended and gently holding the hands of a creature levitating on the surface of the water. Its body was mostly black with purple accents and long blue “hair.” Its body was inside a purple shell-like object with a fin on top and a long, pointed nose, almost like a Samurott’s horn. It was surrounded by a pod of Mantine poking their heads out of the water.

“Tapu Fini,” Sakura whispered with reverence.

 _That’s Tapu Fini?!_ Kaede had spent this entire journey hearing about the mysterious and grandiose Tapu and now one was standing there.

Yuta appeared to be conversing with Tapu Fini, making gestures with one hand. Kaede couldn’t see a mouth on the Guardian deity, but assumed if it was speaking, it was doing so using telepathy. Only powerful Pokémon could communicate in such a way; no doubt the Tapu were among those.

Tapu Fini withdrew her hands, the shell closing around her as it dropped into the water, disappearing from view. Yuta stood up, struggling to move through the crowd of Sea Folk still bowing with their heads touching the dock. He jogged to where Kaede and Sakura were sitting, his face beaming brightly.

“Shuichi’s alive.”

He didn’t get the chance to say anything else. Kaede sprang to her feet and took off sprinting across the docks, screaming the good news at the top of her lungs. At some point, she figured she would faint from lightheadedness, but she didn’t care.

Shuichi was alive, so said Tapu Fini.

*Route 2*

Shuichi rubbed his damp hair dry with the towel. He was wearing some clothes belonging to Kiyotaka that Chihiro loaned to him until his were done in the drier. He felt completely refreshed after his shower. Maybe remnants of the ti leaf’s luck were still influencing him. What were the odds of him stumbling upon the orchard and people kind enough to help him? He heard voices in the living room and padded down the hall, intending to greet Kiyotaka, who he assumed had returned from the city sooner than expected. What he saw made him freeze and hide behind the corner of the hallway.

“Hey-hey Chihiro, what’s up?” The image of a young woman with brownish-pink hair was on Chihiro’s monitor.

“Hi Chiaki, I found someone you might be interested in knowing their condition. Shuichi Saihara washed up on our doorstep.”

“Really?” she looked excited. “Hajime and Nagito will be so relieved! I know they’ve been worried ever since Shuichi ran into that boat. How is he?”

“He’s fine, a little shaken from his journey though. Did you two actually meet face-to-face?”

“Not officially; I was busy with some testing stages when he first came around, but Nagito always regaled me with stories about the hope he saw inside of Shuichi. Has he… has he found his Pokémon?”

“No. Even if he did, I couldn’t let him leave with the Type: Null.”

 _I never told Chihiro I was looking for my Pokémon, or what kind of Pokémon Mosaic is,_ Shuichi realized. How did the boy know that detail about Shuichi’s quest? And what did he mean he wouldn’t let Shuichi leave with Mosaic?

“We were thinking we would be able to convince Kyoko to leave Mosaic at our compound, so Shuichi could still visit him,” said Chiaki.

 _Kyoko? Kyoko Kirigiri?_ There was no way they were talking about one of the most famous detectives and agents of the International Police. What did she have to do with Mosaic?

“Well,” Chiaki continued, “what do you intend to do with him?”

“Miss Yukizome said to keep him from going to Aether Paradise. I feel it’s best I get him off the islands. Can you arrange some transportation?”

“Sure, I’ll have Kazuichi head that way with the yacht. It’ll take him a few days though. Are you sure you can keep a hold of Shuichi for that long?”

“I have to. Chisa will be in danger if he tries to infiltrate Paradise. We can’t risk her blowing her cover, because you know she will if she thinks he’s been targeted.”

“Miss Yukizome’s always been so kindhearted,” Chiaki agreed. “But you’re right; she needs to stay undercover and Shuichi’s presence could risk her exposure. Still, please be gentle with him. He’s been through a lot and, more than anything, all he wants is his Pokémon back.”

“It’s just sad that Pokémon is one of the Type: Null.” Chihiro exited out of the video chat, tiredly running a hand through his hair. Lumine and Scout, who had remained in the living room while Shuichi showered, were both standing with stiff legs and staring intently at Chihiro. They had obviously heard the entire conversation and were displeased, but it wasn’t like they could tell Shuichi the truth.

Shuichi felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Chihiro was in on the conspiracy, so was this Chiaki person, who it appears was a member of the Kuzuryu Clan he had yet to meet. Was everyone he ran into a part of this? How far did it stretch? The towel dropped from his shoulders. It made a dull thud against the carpet, but it was enough to draw Chihiro’s attention. Realizing his cover was blown, and his helplessness being replaced with bubbling anger, Shuichi stepped out from the hall.

“Chihiro, start explaining.”

The small boy’s shoulders dropped. “How much did you hear?”

“Enough to be sure I can’t trust you anymore, or anyone else for that matter. How do you know about Mosaic? How do you know what he is? How is the Kuzuryu Clan connected to all of this? What…” he clenched his fist, eyes narrowing into a hateful glare. “What has the Aether Foundation done?”

Rex and Chuck must have sensed his fury since they leapt from their beds to defend Chihiro. Lumine bellowed and buried his teeth in Rex’s neck. Scout bristled his fur and shrieked, like that time Mosaic tried to attack Shuichi. Despite Chuck’s advantage in body size and strength, he was intimidated by Scout’s aggression and backed away. The commotion brought Mondo running from the back of the house. Upon seeing Shuichi’s Pokémon attacking his own and Chihiro cowering in fear, the man flew into a rage.

“I'll kill you!” Mondo grabbed Shuichi by the throat and threw him to the ground. His fist was about to come down and break Shuichi’s face, but something suddenly got in his way. Shuichi gaped as he stared at the underside of a Porygon using its own body to shield him from Mondo’s attack.

“Mondo stop!” Chihiro begged. He jumped to his feet and raced over, gripping Mondo’s arm to prevent him from delivering another blow.

“But Chihiro—,”

“Please stop! Everyone stop!”

Mondo was panting heavily, his anger not abated, but he lowered his arm anyway. Lumine growled as he released his grip on Rex’s throat, both dog-like Pokémon sizing the other up but not attacking. Chihiro let go of Mondo and offered a hand to Shuichi, who stared at it before hesitantly taking it.

“Shuichi, I’m sorry.”

“I want answers,” Shuichi demanded. “I’m tired of being lied to and misled. I’ve been imprisoned in a ship’s cargo hold, I’ve run myself ragged over these four islands, I’ve been attacked by sociopaths and monsters, I’ve been half-drowned, and I’m no closer to discovering the truth I deserve to know!”

“You don’t deserve anything,” Mondo snapped.

“Shut your damn mouth!” Shuichi screamed.

“Stop it!” Chihiro shouted. His Porygon flew over his head, its limbs rotating threateningly, the sight so strange and grotesque Shuichi went silent.

“Shuichi, you’re right,” Chihiro admitted. “You deserve to know the truth, even though everyone thinks it’s better you don’t. And why? Because they think you’ll do something stupid and impulsive. But I think it doesn’t matter whether I tell you or not; you’re going to do what you’re going to do, and it’s best if you have all the information you need, because there’s a better chance you’ll come out of it alive.”

Mondo cracked his knuckles loudly. “If we need to keep this punk quiet and get him off the island, that’s easily done.”

“Mondo, please. Shuichi, my name is Chihiro Fujisaki. I live here with Mondo Oowada and Kiyotaka Ishimaru. We are all members of the International Police, stationed here to aid an agent working undercover.”

“Chisa Yukizome,” said Shuichi.

“Yes. Miss Yukizome is one of our top agents, she’s currently investigating some disturbing information we’ve received about the Aether Foundation and their activities. The creature you discovered and named Mosaic is a Type: Null, a biological weapon created by the Foundation.”

“The Aether Foundation made Mosaic?”

“One of three.”

_There are three of them?!_

“I’m not sure what the full story is,” Chihiro continued, “but one of the members of the Aether Foundation stole one of the Type: Null and escaped the facility, bringing it to the mainland. She alerted the International Police about Type: Null’s existence and its intended use.”

“What was Mosaic meant to do?” Shuichi asked. “If he’s a weapon, what was he meant to fight?”

“Necrozma, the Blinding One,” Mondo answered.

Shuichi choked on his own breath, gaping in horror at the two. “Wha-what?”

“Not only Necrozma,” Chihiro interjected. “There are other worlds across this universe, and other creatures. Some of these creatures are very powerful: they are known as Ultra Beasts. Ultra Beasts travel from world to world using cosmic doors known as Ultra Wormholes.”

“Nagisa told me about those. They’re what he’s researching, right?” _But "Ultra Beast," that sounds familiar. Where have I heard that before?_

Chihiro nodded. “Nagisa is a member of the Foundation, but he’s innocent to what is truly going on. His reasons are pure, but his research is being used with malicious intention.”

“And what are those intentions?”

“The President of the Aether Foundation wishes to summon Ultra Beasts and Necrozma to our world using the Ultra Wormholes and defeat and capture them using Type: Null.”

“For… for the sake of research?” Shuichi found himself confused by this revelation. Just capturing the Ultra Beasts wasn’t malicious, so what were the President’s intentions that caused the International Police to get involved?

“We don’t know what she intends for them, but that isn’t the issue. No good will come from summoning Necrozma, whether for the sake of simply researching it or for other purposes. That’s the main reason we’re here to stop the Foundation: to protect our world from history repeating itself.”

“So, the story of the Pillager of Light is true.”

“Yes, it’s true. It happened, and we’re actively keeping it from happening again. But that’s not all. Maybe most of our agents are involved for the sake of stopping Necrozma, but some of us are here because of Type: Null.”

“Please,” Shuichi begged, “he’s not a monster. Don’t destroy him.”

“I, personally, don’t intend to destroy any of them. We’re here because of how Type: Null was created. It’s a chimera, Shuichi; it was created by taking DNA and body parts from several Pokémon. Type: Null was created to have the ability to change its elemental type, so it could fight any kind of Ultra Beast.”

Shuichi remembered his observations about Mosaic’s appearance when they first met. He had thought Mosaic looked like a patchwork amalgamation of different Pokémon. Turns out, that was true.

“That girl you were talking with,” Shuichi continued, “she’s a member of the Kuzuryu Clan?”

“Yes, they are invaluable allies. We’ve known them for years, ever since the Kanto Incident.”

“Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu already knew about Type: Null. He’s the one who told me before I transported Mosaic to their compound. That Chiaki girl said they wanted to convince Kyoko to let Mosaic stay there.”

“The International Police want to take custody of the three Type: Null since they are dangerous weapons, but the Kuzuryu Clan obviously saw your bond with Mosaic. I should know, they reported their findings to us. They said Mosaic was protective of you, so we were trying to make plans to keep Mosaic in a place where you would still have access to him. The Kuzuryu Clan were holding him until our agents could retrieve him. Sorry they couldn’t tell you, but please don’t hate them for it.”

“I don’t,” Shuichi confessed. “Is one of the agents Kyoko Kirigiri?”

“Yes, she and her partner have been following this case for months.”

“Why didn’t they come get Mosaic right away?”

“They’ve been busy tracking something else. Besides, they knew Mosaic was safe with the Kuzuryu Clan. When the Foundation employee escaped, she didn’t just take Mosaic. She also took two Pokémon known as Cosmog.”

“Cos…mog?” Shuichi repeated. “Wait… does it look like a starcloud?”

“You know of this Pokémon?” Chihiro’s eyes widened.

“We raided the docks one night to stop some of the traffickers’ ships. One of the Pokémon was an unidentified one my friend Kaito named Nebby. It was also the Pokémon stolen with Mosaic that led me here to Alola.”

“Only one?” Chihiro asked. “The employee escaped with the two the Foundation had. You never saw the second one?”

“Only one, but the Foundation has him back now.”

“We know,” said Mondo. “Miss Yukizome told Kyoko the Foundation has the Type: Null and one of the Cosmog.”

“Kyoko and Makoto were tracking the two Cosmog while the Kuzuryu Clan held onto Mosaic,” Chihiro continued to explain. “Once we received word from Miss Yukizome the Foundation had Mosaic and one of the Cosmog back, Kyoko and Makoto continued searching for the second Cosmog while Miss Yukizome kept us updated.”

“Why is Nebby so important?”

“Cosmog have a unique ability: they can open Ultra Wormholes. When the employee stole them, she also took Madame President’s only method of summoning Necrozma, but now she has one of them back, and that’s all she needs.”

Shuichi didn’t respond for a few minutes, averting his gaze and looking anywhere else other than Mondo and Chihiro. Chihiro must have thought he was absorbing all the new information because he didn’t say anything until Shuichi spoke again.

“Thank you for telling me. Now I see the situation is much more dire than I initially thought, but… you were right about your assumption,” Shuichi forced himself to make eye contact with Chihiro. “This information will be useful, but it won’t stop me.”

Mondo’s arm reached out to grab at Shuichi, but Chihiro’s Porygon prevented him.

“I’ll try my best to leave Miss Yukizome out of it and not blow her cover, but I’m going to Aether Paradise. I’ve come this far and I’m not going to stop now.”

Chihiro sighed. “I was afraid of this. Now, as an agent of the International Police, I do not support your decision, but as an individual, I think it’s foolish.” He flashed a smile at Shuichi. “Let’s get you some floor plans of Aether Paradise.”

*Hau’oli City*

Kiyotaka stepped out of the shopping mall, having finished his appointment: a meeting with a friend. He had insisted in treating them to a meal at one of the restaurants after seeing how haggard they looked. The life they were leading at the moment wasn’t an easy one, and he was willing to do what he could to make it less stressful. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to sneak and hide for much longer. The climax to this story was coming soon.

“Have you seen this boy?”

At the sound of the distressed voice, Kiyotaka’s head snapped in the direction the sound had come from. A young woman with long blond hair was showing her phone screen to a stranger. The stranger shook their head and walked away. The woman grit her teeth in frustration and turned to another stranger, repeating the question.

Kiyotaka started approaching her as the second stranger walked away. She looked worried and frightened and he felt urged to help her. He was a few feet away when she noticed him and rushed up to him, holding her phone out to show him the picture of who she was looking for.

“Have you seen this boy?”

It appeared the odds were in her favor. Kiyotaka’s eyes widened when he saw the picture. It was clearly Shuichi, smiling gently at the camera with his Eevee in his lap. His gaze flickered to the woman, who had a desperate look on her face, as if she were begging for him to say yes, he had seen her friend.

“His name is Shuichi,” she explained. “He was separated from our group last night and we think he might have showed up here. Please, have you seen him?”

“Your group?” Kiyotaka repeated. “Where are the others?”

“All over the city, looking for him.”

“You should probably call them here. I think it’s best you come with me.”

*Route 2*

“Who is this guy again?” Kaito whispered to Kaede.

Upon reuniting, Aoi, Sakura, and Yuta happily greeted Kiyotaka, obviously having a past relationship with him. Upon seeing their friendliness with one another, Kaede and the rest felt comfortable following this man to wherever he was leading them. Where he was leading them was out of Hau’oli City and up the coast. A beautiful berry orchard was on their right, cordoned off by a wooden fence. Kaede was delighted when it turned out this was their destination, but her delight was overtaken by absolute joy when she saw Shuichi sitting on the front porch of the house with a large man and a smaller individual, running a brush through Lumine’s fur. He dropped the brush and jumped to his feet.

Shuichi was almost tackled to the ground but stiffened just in time to avoid Kaede bowling him over. She clung tightly to him, sobbing with relief. Shuichi rubbed her back in comfort, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, the two were enveloped by another pair of arms. Kaito managed to lift them slightly off the ground, but quickly put them back down since he was still sore from surfing. He was blubbering something about how sorry he was and how it was all his fault, but Shuichi was too flustered to interpret it. When it seemed like Kaito was ready to let go, the three of them were picked up by Gonta, who swung them around like they weighed nothing.

“You’re alive!” Kaede cupped Shuichi’s face once Gonta let them go. “You have no idea what we were going through this morning!”

“Shuichi,” Kaito stepped in, “I’m sorry. From the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry for what I said to you. We’ve been through too much for me to throw it away being an idiot.”

“If it’s any consolation, we were both right,” Shuichi responded.

“Huh?” Kaito tilted his head.

“I was right about the Aether Foundation; Chihiro told me so. But you were right about Miss Yukizome; she’s a good person.”

Aoi rushed past them and picked up Chihiro in a tight hug, swinging him around like Gonta had. Shuichi observed their interaction. He knew Chihiro, Kiyotaka, and Mondo were members of the International Police, and they were friends with the Kuzuryu Clan. Were Aoi, Sakura, and Yuta members of the Bureau as well? Or were they friends who had access to information other didn’t, like the Kuzuryu Clan did?

“What did you learn about the Aether Foundation?” Kaede asked, their friends crowding around Shuichi.

“A lot. My hosts are members of the International Police, Chihiro told me everything I needed to know. Kaito, the Foundation has Mosaic and Nebby, that is fact. What is also a fact is we’re going to get them back!”

“Yeah!” Kaito cheered. “When did you get so confident!?”

“We’re going to Aether Paradise and we’re going to rescue them.”

“No, you’re not.”

Everyone turned to look at Kiyotaka. He was frowning deeply at Shuichi, shaking his head. The man marched toward him, but Shuichi’s friend prevented him from getting too close.

“We can’t risk you revealing Miss Yukizome’s undercover position. We also can’t let you, a group of civilians, go running headfirst into a very dangerous situation. I’m sorry, but I must intervene.”

“Taka,” Chihiro interrupted, “don’t bother. He’s determined, and he knows everything.”

“You’re… you’re not really going to Paradise, are you?” Aoi stammered.

“Their Pokémon that were stolen were a Type: Null and a Cosmog,” Chihiro revealed. 

“I can’t let this happen,” Aoi held out a Pokéball, Sakura joining her.

The duo didn’t even get a chance to release their Pokémon. Shuichi’s friends all pulled out a Pokéball each, making their stance clear. Lumine and Scout also rushed to rejoin their trainer, their heads dipped low and teeth bared. Aoi and Sakura faltered; even if they were aided by Yuta, Chihiro, Taka, and Mondo, they would still be overpowered. To further cement the groups’ determination, Kaito, Shuichi, and Kaede flashed their Z-Rings and Angie reached into her bag to pull out a handful of random Z-Crystals.

“Are you really going to risk this?” Sakura asked the group. “You could die if they think you’re trying to interfere with their plans.”

“We’ve been through too much to give up now,” Ryoma stated bluntly. “Might as well keep going.”

Shuichi took a noticeable step back, prompting his friends to copy him. The message was clear: they were leaving, and the rest of their new allies couldn’t stop them.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Shuichi remembered his manners and expressed his gratitude, “but we’re going to be spending the night at the nearby hotel. And tomorrow, we’re going to Aether Paradise.”

Kiyotaka looked like he wanted to object, but Mondo placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. They could only watch as Shuichi and his friends turned and walked away, possibly to their deaths.

“Are we… just going to let them leave?” said Yuta. “You guys have put months of undercover work into this case! You’re just going to throw it away because some kids from the mainland want to be heroes!?”

“We don’t have the luxury of waiting and seeing anymore,” Chihiro replied. “Kyoko and Makoto are supposed to be here tomorrow, but we don’t know how far away they are. Shuichi and his friends have collected every Z-Crystal; maybe, just maybe, it’ll be enough to take her down.”

*Aether Paradise*

“I’m soooo disappointed in all of you.” Despite his spoken words, Monokuma continued to grin widely as he paced in front of the five Monokubs.

“We’re sorry,” Monotaro apologized, hunching his shoulders to try and hide his head. “They were a lot stronger than we thought they would be.”

“Hmm, I supposed it’s not your fault,” Monokuma flipped his hand dismissively. “They’re walking with the power of the Guardian deities, but the Tapus’ influence can’t reach here.”

“So, youse think they’re gonna try and take the island?” said Monosuke.

“They’ll try, doesn’t mean they’ll succeed. Just remember, my dear cubs, if she requires them, you’ll give our Madame President your Ultra Beasts, right?”

“Wha—? Of-of course!” Monotaro replied, but he sounded unsure.

“You were gifted those Beasts,” Monokuma reminded them, his tone infused with a slight hint of warning. “It is her decision to take them back if she desires.”

Monokuma flashed another grin, his sharp teeth glinting threateningly. He left the room, not worrying about being seen wandering the labs deep below the top levels of Aether Paradise. Those who knew him wouldn’t dare stop him from doing what he pleased.

“Give them up?” Monodam repeated softly, tightly clutching his Beast Ball.

“We knew this might happen from the start,” said Monosuke. 

“But she’s already got strong Pokémon!” Monokid complained. “Why does she need our Beasts? She don’t!”

“I…” Monophanie pet her Beast Ball like it was the head of the Nihilego inside. “I don’t want to give her up.”

*Ten Carat Hill*

Under the light of a crescent moon, a single figure stood on a rocky outcrop on the outside of the hollow mountain forming Ten Carat Hill. They faced the open ocean, focusing on the faint glow of Aether Paradise in the distance. Their stomach twisted in agony from the memories of that place, but they couldn’t run away.

Not anymore.

It was time to face the past, even if it meant stirring up memories that were best left forgotten. But things would be different this time; this time, they had allies. There were devasting crimes being committed on that artificial island, hidden away from the world. It was time the world knew those secrets. The figure turned to look upward at the hulking mass above them.

“Isn’t that right, Lunala?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tropical storms are no joke. The year I lived in Hawaii, we had a storm that knocked out power to the entire island I was on.  
> Chihiro may seem a little out of character, but this is a Chihiro who has the support of a lot of friends and the confidence that comes with the sort of position he has in the International Police. Also, Shuichi screaming at Mondo and Kaito might seem strange, but c'mon, one can only be pushed so far before they lose it.  
> This was a chapter I've been looking forward to for a long time, since so much happens and a lot of information is revealed. I usually have a range of words per chapter I try to stick to, but I wanted to include everything I planned in this chapter, otherwise I would have to rearrange some events again. So, it's a little longer than normal, but I doubt anyone's complaining.


	17. Poison of the Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi and his friends infiltrate Aether Paradise and discover the sinister truths that lie within.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 17: Poison of the Mind

“Do you have any idea how worried we were!? You called at the crack of dawn saying you’re doing something stupid and then just hang up!?”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Before coming to Alola, Shuichi might have wilted under his uncle’s scolding, but now… Maybe it was because he hardened from his experiences, or maybe he realized he didn’t have a genuine reason to always feel anxious about disappointing Jiro. He remembered the conversation they had in the car returning from the first dock raid, raising his hand to stare at the faint scar of his stitches.

“Don’t do that again!” Jiro snapped. “You’ve been gone ten days and I’ve aged ten years!”

 _Ten days? Let’s see: two days in the cargo hold, one day in Heahea City…_ He mentally ran through his adventures and realized Jiro was right. He had been off the mainland for ten days and had spent eight of those days exploring Alola. Tomorrow, it would be nine and, hopefully, the last day. Kaede and Kaito had both expressed interest in staying for another week or so and playing tourist, but, honestly, he just wanted to go home. Maybe, after some rest and recovery, he would return to the islands.

Jiro continued to prattle on about how worried he was, what trouble Shuichi had gotten himself in, and other inane things, but Shuichi had stopped listening long ago. Without thinking, or maybe his body was on autopilot while his mind was occupied, he ended the call and splayed on his back on the bed. His phone buzzed.

**Stop hanging up on me, damn it!**

Shuichi snickered; it felt good to laugh after everything that happened. He wouldn’t deny he felt a little bit nervous about infiltrating Paradise tomorrow, but he had his friends with him. He turned his head to where Kaede, Angie, and Kirumi were sitting on the other bed, sorting through the Z-Crystals. If they were strong enough to collect every Z-Crystal, maybe they would be strong enough to complete one final mission.

And hopefully leave Chisa Yukizome out of it.

“We’re back!” Kaito announced, striding through the door with grocery bags, Gonta right behind him with the rest. Phantom ripped one of the bags out of Kaito’s grasp and started sorting through it.

“Hey!” he shouted, holding up an orange bottle. “You got the wrong flavor!”

“You said ‘pick me up a Panta.’ You never said which one.”

“I hate the orange one, take it back!”

“You take it back,” Kaito argued, handing his other bag to Maki, who placed it on the table and started sorting the items.

“I only drink grape.”

“Well, that’s all you’re getting. Deal with it.”

Phantom’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You are literally the devil.”

Everyone crowded around the table to pick up the snacks they had requested. Despite having the funds for more than one room at the hotel, there was some unspoken agreement they were sleeping in one room; even Tenko was fine with it. Shuichi was positive it was because of the scare he gave everyone. They wanted to keep an eye on each other during the night, particularly him. Most of them would have to sleep on the floor, but they didn’t seem to care.

“Okay,” Rantaro settled on the floor, popping open a bag of chips, “tell us everything we need to know, Shuichi.”

Shuichi reached into his messenger bag and pulled out several pages of printed images. He laid them out while his friends sat in a circle.

“Chihiro printed these for me; they’re the floor plans of Aether Paradise.”

“How did he have these?” Keebo asked.

“He hacked their database. Now then,” Shuichi sorted through the dozens of pages and arrange four of them into a square, “this is the conservation area.” He also held up a single sheet which was an aerial view of the outside of Paradise, pointing to the structure at the very top of the main building. “This is where the conservation area is.”

“It’s amazing,” Kaito spoke up. “There were so many Pokémon and the entire thing looks like a huge garden with raised walkways.”

“Too bad a lot of those Pokémon are stolen,” Maki remarked, killing Kaito’s enthusiasm.

“Most of everything is in the main building,” Shuichi continued. “There are six floors: the conservation area, the cafeteria plus the medical wing and infirmary, the labs, the research and lecture floors, the entrance and reception area, and the living quarters. The docks are at water level here under the western deck.”

“They’re not considered a floor?” Himiko asked.

“I think because they don’t encompass the entire lowest portion of the island, they’re considered a ‘room.’”

“Then what’s the rest?” Phantom inquired, taking the aerial image from Shuichi.

“What do you mean?”

“You said the docks don’t encompass the entire lowest portion of Paradise, so what is the other thing making up that portion?”

“Ah.” Shuichi sorted through the images again and found the ones he was looking for. “That is our target. Somewhere between the docks and the reception floor, there’s a secret hidden floor. These are the secret labs, where the… _less humane_ experiments happen. At least, that’s what I’m assuming; otherwise, why else hide them?”

“What’s this area?” Kiyo asked, taking the aerial image from Phantom and pointing to the area on the north side of the artificial island, separate from the main building.

“It’s titled ‘the mansion’ in the floor plans,” Shuichi answered. “But it’s separate from the living quarters.”

“Perhaps investors get to stay there when they visit?” Kirumi suggested.

Shuichi stood up, so everyone would focus on him. “This plan is we enter through the docks and make our way to the elevator without drawing suspicion.”

“They’re going to see us coming,” said Maki.

“Visitors are welcome to Paradise,” Rantaro informed the rest. “We should be able to enter the docks without being hindered.”

“How are we going to get into the secret labs?” Ryoma rearranged the papers for the hidden floor. “Since they’re secret, I’m guessing not just anyone can get into them.”

“I think we’ll be okay. This thing has to be good for something,” Shuichi opened his wallet and pulled out the access card they had found in Po Town. “It’s time we use their own weapons against them!”

“But if Monokuma is a part of the Foundation, don’t you think he might be expecting us?” Kaede suggested. “Especially if he’s aware we took the card.”

“I don’t care anymore,” Shuichi answered. “If he knows we’re coming, then we’ll just beat him like we did before. We have every Z-Crystal and we’ve conquered these islands. Maybe that Guzzlord scared us the first time, but not again!”

“Wow, what an outburst. That was really emotional, Mister Detective. You on your period or something?” Phantom drawled.

“My name is Shuichi. Can you say that? Can you say ‘Shuichi?’”

“Can you call me by my name?”

“You never told me what it is!”

“It’s not ‘Phantom?’” Gonta asked in a confused tone.

“Okay, everyone calm down and pick a drink,” Kaede directed. She held up her can of soda, prompting the others to do the same. “A toast to the Alolan Islands; they gave us an experience we’ll never forget, but, tomorrow, the journey ends.”

*Aether Paradise: Docks*

Despite Rantaro saying visitors were openly welcome to come to Aether Paradise, Shuichi couldn’t help but pull his recently-returned bucket hat down over his eyes when he looked around the docks and spied a security camera. Several of the Foundation ferries were docked, as well as some personal boats like Rantaro’s, implying there were quite a few visitors here today. As long as no one recognized Shuichi, Kaito, and Phantom from their brief visit over a week ago, the group should be able to pass themselves off as tourists.

“Okay, the elevator is towards the center of the building. We need to head further through the storage area,” said Shuichi, indicating the maze of large storage crates and tanks that were arranged and moved by forklifts and, sometimes, Pokémon.

They couldn’t help but marvel at the crates, several of which were taller than even Gonta. Despite wanting to appear as tourists, they felt the pressure of infiltrating what was essentially ‘enemy territory’ and chose to creep from crate to crate, keeping a watch for employees and ducking away when spying one. Maybe they weren’t being subtle, but, hopefully, anyone who saw them just might think they were being weird. As they continued through the storage yard, they gradually dropped their guard when the employees that saw them didn’t even acknowledge them.

Shuichi turned the corner of a large crate and nearly ran into someone approaching from the other side. They both slammed to a halt, Shuichi’s knee nearly buckling from his abrupt stop. He was about to apologize for not watching where he was going, but his voice caught in his throat when he recognized that leering smirk and the freshly-healed facial wounds from being slammed onto abrasive pavement.

“You!” Shuichi managed to squeak as the man’s arm shot out to grab Shuichi, only for him to be knocked back so hard his head bounced off the metal crate with a disturbingly loud clanging noise. The man crumpled to the floor, knocked out instantly.

“Ah!” Gonta whimpered. “I didn’t mean to hit that hard! I didn’t mean to!”

“He’s alive,” Phantom had knelt and checked the man’s pulse, “unfortunately.”

“I know this man,” Shuichi stated. “He was at Himiko’s magic show and the docks the day Mosaic and Nebby were taken.”

“He knows who you are,” Kiyo pointed out. “We can’t let him go; he’ll alert the other employees.”

“We can’t take him with us,” said Kaede, “but maybe we could hide him somewhere.”

“How about a crate?” Miu rapped her knuckles against the one that had knocked the man out. “He’ll be secured and, if he happens to die…”

“No!” Kaede snapped, causing Miu to recoil in fear. 

Kaito inspected the crate, realizing there was a tag attached the one side that indicated when the crate had arrived and when it was scheduled to be sorted. The tag also specified what was inside the crate, but it was written in coded shorthand, like price tags at the grocery store.

“Let’s find a crate that’s scheduled to be sorted soon,” Kaito suggested. “That way, he won’t be stuck in there for long, but long enough that we’ll find Nebby and Mosaic and get out of here.”

With few other options, they decided to go with Kaito’s plan. It appeared the crates were arranged by the date they arrived, and so they would also be sorted around the same time. Obviously, the employees sorted them according to their section, the sorting dates growing closer to the current date as they approached the open area where the elevator was. There were more employees congregating here, so Kaito and Rantaro supported the unconscious man between them, making it less apparent that he was knocked out.

“Here,” Maki gestured from the area furthest from the elevator. Here, the crates were scheduled for sorting today, but these were in the furthest corners. 

There was a ledge here, barricaded by a fence preventing anyone from falling off the dock and into the sea water below. There were also strange canals emptying into the water from this ledge. After observing a powerful wave splash onto the dock and the water quickly filtering through the drain, Shuichi realized these large canals were storm drains. They also descended from above, probably intending to drain any rain water on the decks high above when there were storms.

Tsumugi released her Salandit and had him use his Corrosion ability to melt away at the seam of the crate, allowing Gonta and Kaito to pry one of the panels off. They were almost buried by an avalanche of evolutionary stones. 

“Wow!” Angie marveled, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Look at all of these!”

“I’ve never seen so many evolutionary stones in one place,” Kirumi commented.

Shuichi almost stated he had, remembering his visits to the Emporium back in the city, but even the Emporium didn’t have this amount or variety of stones. Now the question was, why did the Foundation have such a huge collect? And this was only one crate; were there more?

“Yoink!” Phantom swiped a Shiny Stone and pocketed it.

For a moment, Shuichi wondered why he had done that, until he remembered Phantom had a Roselia. With a Shiny Stone, Phantom could evolve Rugosa into a Roserade. Encouraged by Phantom’s bluntness, the rest of Shuichi’s friends began sorting through the stones, claiming ones that would evolve their Pokémon. Angie took a Sun Stone for her Cottonee; Kiyo took a Dusk Stone for his Litwick and Honedge once they eventually evolved into their secondary stages; Maki took a Shiny Stone for her Togetic; Himiko also took a Dusk Stone for her Misdreavus; and Tsumugi deliberated between a Sun Stone and a Leaf Stone for her Gloom before releasing the Pokémon and letting her help choose, eventually settling on a Leaf Stone. Realizing this was the chance of a lifetime, Shuichi released Scout.

“Scout,” Shuichi knelt beside him, “here’s a Thunder Stone, Fire Stone, and Water Stone. If you want, you could evolve into a Jolteon, Flareon, or Vaporeon right now.”

Scout’s ears pricked, and, to his credit, he took the time to scrutinize the three stones before turning his nose up and purposefully looking away. 

Shuichi chuckled and returned him to his Pokéball. “Figured as much.”

“Open this one,” Kaito kicked a different crate. “We’re not going to get this crate closed with all these stones on the floor.”

Salandit opened the second crate; thankfully, this one appeared to be full of smaller boxes. They pulled out a stack, placed the unconscious trafficker inside, then placed the panel back up after burning a hole through it so he wouldn’t suffocate. Since Salandit had corroded the panel off, it didn’t quite fit back on perfectly. It looked as if it would fall off if kicked the slightest bit but, hopefully, it looked normal enough it wouldn’t draw anyone’s attention right away.

“Okay,” Shuichi spoke up, “let’s approach the elevator as nonchalantly as we can. Make sure you space out to take up as much room as possible; we can’t let anyone else get on the elevator with us.”

Everyone began readjusting their clothes before they stepped into view. Phantom pulled his sparkly pink sunglasses from his pocket and put them on while Maki straightened the artificial flower pin Kaito had stuck in her hair their first day in Alola. Whatever it took to look like tourists excited to see Aether Paradise. They meandered out from the crates, thinking of random topics to talk amongst themselves. A couple of them waved hello at some of the employees, who waved back since they didn’t see anything wrong with a group of tourists riding the elevator. Gonta, Keebo, and Tsumugi crowded around Shuichi so no one could see him pull out the access card and insert it into a card slot on the button panel. A red button lit up once he did so; with a shaky breath, Shuichi pressed the button.

The barrier fence rose around the perimeter of the platform, then the elevator started rising. Kaito let out a strange noise of excitement as he clung to Maki, who heaved a sigh but let him hug her. The elevator didn’t go far, stopping in an open room with three doors. The door in front of them was designed differently than the ones on the left and right and sealed shut with a special electronic lock. Shuichi approached that door and was ready to insert the card, only to realize there was no slot for him to do so. Clearly, the door opened through other means he wasn’t seeing.

Shuichi approached the door on the left and saw it didn’t need any key to open; it did so automatically when he approached it. So, there were two doors they could access and one they couldn’t. Obviously, the third door was the most suspicious, but they needed to work with what they had.

“Alright everyone,” Shuichi announced, “we’ll split into two groups of eight and each take a door. Do all of you remember what Mosaic looks like from that picture I showed you at the Tide Song Hotel?”

“It’s kind of hard to forget after seeing that thing,” Miu replied.

“Oh!” Tenko spoke up. “I suggest we use the buddy system. Let’s hold hands in case we get lost. Himiko, do you want to be my partner?”

“Could you be any more obvious?” Phantom groaned.

Thus, the group split in two: Shuichi, Kaede, Phantom, Kiyo, Kirumi, Gonta, Angie, and Miu went through the right door, while Kaito, Maki, Rantaro, Ryoma, Keebo, Himiko, Tenko, and Tsumugi went through the left door.

*Left Door*

Upon stepping through the door, it felt like entering an entirely different building. There was no semblance to the white, pristine halls above. Instead, the other side of the door almost looked like an immense warehouse with the enormous steel beams supporting Paradise’s structure exposed against the walls. They were standing on a metal walkway suspended over a deep drop. It was only then that Kaito realized the room was more like a large sphere.

“There’s something down there,” Keebo whispered, peeking over the railing to look down the drop. 

Indeed, there was a large mass below them, but it was too far down to see what it was. Although, Maki did see a ladder leading down to it, but didn’t see how they could reach the ladder. The edges of the walkway were illuminated by two lines of lights. The eight of them cautiously walked forward, their shoes clanging against the metal a little too loudly for their liking. Nearer to the center of the sphere was a spiderweb of beams that supported four room-sized cubicles, arranged in two clusters of two standing opposite one another.

Kaito approached the door of the first cubicle on the right. It slid open upon sensing his presence and he poked his head inside to make sure no one was there before gesturing the others to come in. The inside looked like a lab with computers and machines, including one large machine that appeared to be showing a simulation of aura waves. Himiko nearly tripped over the giant cables strewn along the floor, the only thing stopping her from falling was a desk she managed to grab the edge of. She jostled the desk, causing the computer to wake up.

Keebo walked around the desk and sat in the computer chair. The computer screen showed several buttons, among them were ones labeled: Test Anomalies, Particle Disturbances, Energy Variables, and others. Keebo clicked on Test Anomalies, but the resulting droplist options were too complicated even for him.

“Do you see anything related to Nebby or Mosaic?” Rantaro asked.

“I’m… honestly not sure. All of this looks like it’s related to particle physics and quantum field theory. Wait, this one’s talking about dark matter, and this one’s about prisms and light refraction.”

Ryoma and Tsumugi watched the strange machine in the center of the room. The aura waves inside the clear glass case shifted and turned a dark purple color, forming what looked like a whirlpool before shifting back into random rainbow waves. It did this several more times with little rhyme or reason.

“I’m not finding anything here about Nebby or Mosaic,” Keebo proclaimed. “Or maybe I am and I can’t tell.”

“Let’s try another lab,” Maki suggested.

They entered the lab across from the one they were just in. Inside this one were two large generators, thick cables attached to the machines going into the ceiling. Rantaro walked back out the door to see the cables climbed up from the cubicle to the ceiling of the sphere. Suddenly, the generators pulsed, something akin to greenish fire filling the canisters and dissipating.

“Look here,” Tenko opened a hatch, heaving the door up to reveal a ladder. 

Recognizing the ladder as the one leading down to the dark shape below them, Maki led the group in descending the rungs. They didn’t even make it halfway down before Tsumugi shrieked, nearly causing Kaito to let go of the ladder. Level with Tsumugi’s face was another face on a long skinny neck to an enormous monster. Everyone froze, waiting to see if the creature had noticed them. When it didn’t move, they quickly scrambled back up the ladder.

“What the hell was that!?” said Kaito.

“Whatever it is, I think it’s feeding into these generators,” Ryoma stated.

“Computer,” Himiko pointed to the desk shoved in the corner, like it was junk that needed to be moved to make space for the generators.

Keebo was forced to bend his back to wake up the computer since there wasn’t even a chair in here. “Huh, I thought the energy input and output of the generators would be here, but they’re not.”

“What is on there?” Tsumugi asked.

“It’s all information about something called ‘Ultra Beasts.’ Wait, Ultra Beast... Rantaro, didn't you say Monokid mentioned something called 'Ultra Beasts' when you confronted him at Brooklet Hill?”

"That's right," Rantaro confirmed. "He said something about there not being any Water-type Ultra Beasts."

Keebo turned back to the computer, reading down the list on the screen which consisted of ten specimens— or eleven, since there were two specimens listed under number eight. He wondered why that was; especially since that was the only one.

**Ultra Beasts**  
**Index of Known Specimens**  
**UB- 01 Symbiont**  
**UB- 02 Absorption**  
**UB- 03 Beauty**  
**UB- 04 Lightning**  
**UB- 05 Blaster**  
**UB- 06 Blade**  
**UB- 07 Glutton**  
**UB- 08 Adhesive and Stinger**  
**UB- 09 Assembly**  
**UB- 10 Burst**

“Well,” Maki read the list over Keebo’s shoulder, “I guess we just pick one?”

Keebo chose Symbiont since it was the first option. The page loaded to show a picture of a strange creature along with several paragraphs of information about it. 

“That thing!” Tenko shouted, pointing accusingly at the screen. “That’s the thing that bit Ryoma in the head!”

“You got bit in the head?” Kaito inquired. “Wait, it doesn’t look like it has a mouth.”

“It stung me,” Ryoma specified, “but Tenko’s right, that’s the creature Monophanie had when we were retrieving the Normalium Z from Verdant Cavern.”

“Monophanie had this?” Keebo murmured to himself. He escaped from the page and pulled up another one at random, this time the picture resembling a strange crumbling tower with several blue eyes.

“That’s the creature Phantom, Kaede, and I ran into when we tried to leave the Brooklet Hill cove,” said Rantaro.

“Ultra Beasts,” Tsumugi stated, “these are the creatures the Monokubs had!”

“But there are more Ultra Beasts than Monokubs,” Himiko pointed out, “even if we count Monokuma.”

“Pull up the first one again, Keebo,” Kaito directed. “We’ll take pictures of the screen on our phones. We don’t have time to examine each one.” So, Keebo went through each page, pausing when he clicked the fifth option, revealing a picture of the creature suspended below them.

“’UB- 05 Blaster,’” he read. “’Celesteela is the largest known Ultra Beast. A Steel/Flying-type that stores a condensed energy within its body and expels it through its disembodied arms. This energy is expelled as a flammable gas similar to rocket fuel and has been observed to be strong enough to propel Celesteela into the air.’”

“They’re harvesting the fuel from Celesteela,” Rantaro realized. “They must be using it to power the labs and other facilities of Aether Paradise.”

“So, they’ve imprisoned one of these creatures and are using it to power their facility,” said Maki. 

“Wait,” Keebo spoke up, “there’re two hidden options.” He clicked and dragged the mouse icon across the screen, revealing another two buttons beneath the list the same color as the black background. They read “UB: Black and UB: Star.”

Curious, Keebo clicked UB: Black only for the resulting page to offer very little information. There was a picture, but it was a crude image of some creature with jagged limbs. Keebo scanned the paragraphs, but most of it was full of jargon he couldn’t understand. He escaped back to the index and clicked on UB: Star. Everyone audibly gasped.

It was Nebby.

“Nebby?” Kaito gaped at the computer screen. “UB: Star? But… what’s going on?”

“Don’t you get it?” said Maki. “Nebby’s not a Pokémon, he’s an Ultra Beast.”

“But what _are_ Ultra Beasts? What makes them different from Pokémon? Rantaro, you said Monokid said there were no Water-type Ultra Beasts. That means they're similar to Pokémon, right?”

Keebo exited back to the main screen and, on a whim, click the Ultra Beast title. He was taken to a new page filled with small text, so small he had difficulty reading it.

“’There are many worlds in this universe and many strange phenomena related to what lies beyond the stars. There have been multiple stories of certain Pokémon coming from space. Lunatone and Solrock are believed to be living meteorites. The Cleffa evolutionary line are also believed to have originated from space and came to our world riding meteorites. What legends have merit and which ones don’t mean little to us, for we have found evidence, not of what lies beyond the stars, but beyond our universe.’”

“’Beyond our universe?’” Kaito repeated to himself.

“’There exists an interdimensional spatial realm known as Ultra Space, acting as the connecting lanes between alternate universes and dimensions. Ultra Wormholes are the doors that open to Ultra Space. We know little of how Ultra Wormholes appear, except that they appear to gather in great numbers around the Alolan Islands. We believe this is due to the presence of Cosmog, who has the ability to open the Wormholes. However, we also know the Wormholes can be opened and traveled through without Cosmog’s influence. We know this because our junior researcher of the Ultra Wormholes, Nagisa Shingetsu, traveled through one, coming from his world of Ultra Megalopolis.’

“’Based on the information Nagisa has shared with us, there are countless other worlds. Some of them possess Pokémon similar to the ones of our world, but others are the homes of creatures known as Ultra Beasts. Ultra Beasts are fearsome and powerful creatures who posses abilities beyond our comprehension. There is not much information about these creatures, but we are more familiar with them then initially believed. Ultra Beasts have intertwined themselves into the ancient stories of Alola. They have been the opponents of the Guardian deities throughout history. We believe this reoccurrence of Ultra Beasts coming to the islands is also due to the presence of Cosmog opening the Ultra Wormholes.’

“’After obtaining two Cosmog for research purposes, Madame President took note of the variety of Ultra Beasts entering our world. These creatures can be incredibly violent, and we found we weren’t equipped to properly handle them. Thus, we have begun development on the Beast Killer Project.’”

“Beast Killer… Mosaic was created to fight Ultra Beasts?” said Rantaro. “I thought Shuichi said he was made to fight Necrozma?”

There was sudden disturbance, like a ripple in the air. They all fell silent simultaneously, just in time to hear the evident clanging of footsteps on the walkway. At first, they assumed it might be one of their friends who went through the right door coming to check on them, but some strange feeling told them otherwise. Tenko rushed to the still-open hatch, gesturing for the others to hurry down the ladder. Keebo yanked the power cord of the computer out of the wall before running for the hatch. They managed to scramble down enough for Tenko to shut the underside of the hatch just in time. There were multiple footsteps resounding above them, muffled voices discussing with one another.

For some odd reason, the eight of them felt a vile terror grip their hearts, almost as if they were being watched.

“Oh, is that so?” Suddenly, the hatch opened and the eight were looking up at a mask-wearing individual. Two other individuals in the same outfit were standing over the one who opened the hatch, but that wasn’t what horrified the group.

It was the sight of three Nihilego drifting down through the hatch.

Himiko screamed as one attempted to reach out for her, accidentally letting go of the ladder. Luckily, she fell on top of Rantaro, who managed to grab her and hold on. Kaito shouted at the top of his lungs and lashed out with his foot, trying to scare the Ultra Beasts away, but they pointedly ignored him. Keebo swatted at them, only to howl in pain when one of them stung his hand. Tsumugi tried to clamber to the other side of the ladder when a second Nihilego grabbed at her hair with its tentacles and touched her neck. There were four synchronized flashes and suddenly the Nihilego backed away as Luna, Sol, Nova, and Comet struck them with brute force.

“Hold me tight,” Himiko instructed Rantaro, pulling out a Pokéball. 

When her Abra emerged, she held him up. An aura emanated from his small body, engulfing all of them. The three Aether scientists gaped in shock as their targets disappeared from sight via Abra’s Teleport.

*Right Door*

There was a strange pulse that ran through the ducts attached to the underside of the walkway. Shuichi could feel it in his bones whenever the pulse shot down the ducts. On their right side was a short drop, the floor beneath covered in a lattice of pipes, cables, and beams. On their left side, were a row of doors leading to the four individual labs. The group broke up further into pairs to investigate the labs. Shuichi partnered with Kaede to explore the fourth, and furthest, lab. She gushed about how it was like when they were high school, investigating rumored haunted classrooms and secret club meetings.

The inside of the lab was immaculate, confirming it was regularly occupied. There looked to be two metal examination tables with restraints melded to their surfaces. Shuichi immediately looked away, feeling uncomfortable at the sight for some reason. In one corner was a bookcase that stretched to the ceiling and was packed so full of books some extras were lying sideways on top of the others. In the corner opposite of the bookcase was a computer on a neatly-organized desk. Shuichi sat down in the chair and woke the computer up from sleep mode. The screen brightened, but all that was on it was a prompt asking for his identity.

Shuichi and Kaede exchanged a confused glance, wondering how they were supposed to proceed, until Kaede realized there was a camera built into the top of the monitor. Shuichi pulled out Monokuma’s access card and held it up to the camera. After a few tense moments, the screen changed, welcoming “Monokuma” into the program.

“I guess you were right about him,” Kaede admitted.

Shuichi only hummed in response, his eyes scanning the electronic directory. His gaze was immediately drawn to exactly what he was looking for: The Beast Killer Project. He eagerly clicked on the link, leading him to a new directory with such options as Preliminary Tests, Elemental Type Changes, and Project History, among others. Shuichi chose Project History, hoping it would provide some much-needed information about Mosaic’s creation.

“’From beyond the Ultra Wormholes came the Ultra Beasts, creatures capable of great feats of power and destruction. We were foolish to believe we could handle creatures not of our world; and so, we began work on the Beast Killer Project, named for the resulting creation’s purpose. The goal is to create an artificial, biological weapon capable of changing its elemental type to fight any kind of Ultra Beast that comes through the Ultra Wormholes.’

“’We began by taking cell samples from Pokémon of each elemental type and comparing each to the types they were super effective and weak against. We paid close attention to samples taken from Pokémon of dual types that are often the opposites of one another, such as Bug/Flying and Water/Rock. It is imperative we find out how these two types can coexist within a single Pokémon so the Beast Killer can remain stable while switching types.’”

Shuichi scanned further down the page, but it was mostly filled with a lot of scientific and technical jargon that was flying over his head. He saw a diagram of a metal skeleton with a drawing of the general body shape of a four-legged creature superimposed over it. He was about ready to exit out of the page when he spied an addendum near the bottom of the page, the date showing the new information was added near the beginning of the year.

“’The Beast Killer Project has resulted in the successful creation of three Beast Killers. Preliminary tests have shown the three are all capable of changing their elemental types when exposed to the memory discs. Thus, the trio of creatures have been dubbed “Type: Full.’”

“Type: Full?” Shuichi repeated. “But… that’s not what everyone else called him.”

“There’s something else,” Kaede pointed to the very bottom of the page. The text there was very small, almost as if someone were trying to hide it but needed to include the information.

“’The Beast Killer Project has failed. All three Type: Full became unstable when put through a test scenario. They lost control of their powers and nearly destroyed the facility. We attempted to remedy this by placing limiter helmets on their heads, but in doing so, we lost access to the RKS System within Type: Full’s brain. The creatures have not stabilized. They have been cryogenically frozen and put in storage. We are unsure of Madame President’s next move concerning the creatures’ existence as they have all been dubbed failures and their names changed to Type: Null.’”

“Wait,” Kaede crossed her arms, head tilted in thought, “the three were cryogenically frozen? Then, how did Mosaic escape?”

“Chihiro said an Aether employee stole him and took him to the mainland,” Shuichi replied. 

“I wonder what they intended to do with him?”

“Shuichi! Kaede!” Gonta burst through the door of the lab, looking frantic and scared. “You need to come fast!”

In their rush, Shuichi and Kaede didn’t shut down the computer. They raced down the walkway to the second lab only to find the rest of the eight were already there. In this lab, there were two examination tables with restraints and a computer, like in the fourth lab, but, in place of a bookshelf, there was a large metal door labeled “Freezer.” This door was open, dropping the temperature in the lab to the point everyone’s breath was puffing in small white clouds. Someone had pulled a metal table on wheels out from the freezer and opened the body bag on the table. 

Shuichi felt his mouth flood with saliva in preparation for vomit, but he managed to swallow the feeling down. His legs shook as he approached the table, forced to lean his weight against the edge as he stared in abject horror at the contents of the body bag. He could see the cold, metallic glint of its skeleton, just like in the diagram he saw on the computer. Whatever organs it had were removed, leaving an empty carcass. It legs were splayed off to the side— its mammalian and insectoid legs. It looked like Mosaic, but it couldn’t be him. Shuichi needed to keep telling himself that.

“I’m sorry,” Phantom mumbled softly, in a surprisingly genuine tone.

“No,” Shuichi whispered in response. “It’s not him. It’s not him. It can’t be.”

The Type: Null wasn’t wearing a helmet, finally allowing Shuichi to see what Mosaic’s face looked like, except this poor creature’s face was frozen in eternal agony. Its crest had been removed so it wouldn’t get in the way, leaving its head oddly bare and naked. Its gray fur was dyed a rusty brown color, spreading from the upward slit in its torso.

“It was still alive,” Kirumi stated quietly.

“What do you mean?” Angie asked.

“All of this blood; its heart must have still been beating when they cut it open. If it were dead, its blood wouldn’t run so freely.”

“Monsters,” Gonta whimpered, and they knew he was talking about the people who had done this, not the dead creature before them.

“It’s not him. It’s not him. It’s not him,” Shuichi continued to repeat to himself. It couldn’t be Mosaic; Shuichi’s journey couldn’t end like this. Mosaic couldn’t be dead, cruelly vivisected without an ounce of compassion and died all alone in agony. 

“Of course, it’s not him,” Miu stated assuredly. “From what you’ve told us, Mosaic’s a total badass. He wouldn’t go down this easily.”

_Miu's right. Mosaic's too tough to go down like this. There's no proof this Type: Null is Mosaic; there're two other Type: Null, so it's a one-in-third chance. Until I know for certain this is Mosaic, he could still be alive._

Kiyo suddenly let out an unholy shriek and dropped to his knees, clutching the back of his neck. The others spun to face him, a Nihilego levitating behind where he was once standing. It started reaching for Kirumi, who had been standing beside Kiyo, only to be knocked out of the air by Gonta throwing the computer at it. Kiyo struggled to his feet, still applying pressure to the apparent wound on his neck. The group rushed out the door as the Nihilego started stirring, only to run into three individuals wearing lab coats and strange masks covering their faces. These individuals reached out to try and grab Shuichi and his friends, only to be neutralized by Phantom punching one in the stomach, Miu shoulder-checking another in the ribs, and Gonta slapping the third so hard across the face their mask shifted and rendered them blind.

“Run for the elevator!” Shuichi ordered.

The quicker ones managed to pull ahead enough they passed the other two Nihilego before they materialized. Shuichi slid to a halt, Kirumi and Kiyo behind him, the former supporting the latter. The others also stopped running and started doubling back, but Shuichi yelled at them to keep going and escape on the elevator. The scientists had recovered and were marching toward the three left behind. Now, they were trapped between the scientists and the Nihilego.

Shuichi released Lumine from his Pokéball and ordered him to use Rock Throw. The stones bounced off the Nihilego, pushing them back slightly, mainly due to blunt force rather than any damage the Rock element dealt. They shook off the damage though and started approaching. Shuichi looked back and forth between the Ultra Beasts and the scientists. The two Nihilego lunged, trying to catch Kirumi and Shuichi in the face, but Shuichi fell to the floor, dragging Kirumi and Kiyo down with him just in time. The Nihilego flew over their heads and latched onto two of the scientists’ faces. Shuichi jumped to his feet and helped Kirumi drag Kiyo down the walkway, Lumine galloping behind them, providing protection if their pursuers attempted to chase them down. 

“Get on the elevator and find somewhere to hide,” Shuichi instructed Kirumi and Kiyo, after the platform returned.

“What about you?” Kirumi asked.

“I need to warn the others who went through the left door. Kiyo’s injured, so go to the third floor. You’ll find the medical wing there.”

Shuichi and Lumine ducked through the left door as the elevator lifted. He froze for a second upon seeing the giant sphere on the other side but recovered and started sprinting down the walkway. He brust through the doors to the labs without concern for who might be watching. His heart began to race faster when he couldn’t find any of his friends hiding on this side of the secret labs. He cast a glance back towards the door, realizing the scientists were chasing after him. If Kaito and the others weren’t here, he had to have hope they already fled. Lumine jumped in front of Shuichi, bristling his fur and raising his hackles at the scientists.

“Back off!” Shuichi spat, holding up his Z-Ring to reveal the Rockium Z placed inside the indentation.

The scientists froze, staring at Shuichi’s Z-Ring and trying to decipher whether he was being serious or not. Humans couldn’t withstand powerful attacks with the same sturdiness of Pokémon. If Shuichi decided to unleash a Z-Move on them, there was a chance they might not survive.

Lumine bellowed and charged forward, knocking into the three. Shuichi took this chance and leapt over the prone bodies, sprinting for the elevator. He slammed the button to summon the platform, his head darting back and forth to make sure he wasn’t going to be jumped by either the scientists or the Nihilego. He needed to find somewhere to hide so he could call Kaito or one of the others on his cell phone and find out where they were. When the elevator returned, he chose to descend to the docks.

The employees that had been standing around the elevator when the entire group first ascended were gone and Shuichi didn’t know whether he should feel relieved or panicked. In fact, the docks were eerily quiet and empty. Shuichi and Lumine hurried back towards the crate they had opened earlier, the evolutionary stones still strewn upon the floor. After taking a few breaths to trying calm his racing heart, Shuichi slipped the strap of his messenger bag off his shoulder and set it on the floor, leaning against the railing to the large storm drain. He rummaged through his bag and pulled out his cell phone, standing back up and searching through his contacts for Kaito’s number.

Shuichi choked on his own scream as a rough hand grabbed him by the throat. His phone clattered as it hit floor and his foot slipped as he accidently stepped on his bag. The trafficker from before glared at him, his eyes void of emotion.

“I’ve just about had it with you,” he stated, giving Shuichi a hard shove that pushed him over the railing and sent him plunging to the water below. 

From Shuichi’s perspective, everything slowed down as he fell. He saw Lumine jump up and clamp his teeth into the trafficker’s arm, dragging the man down to the floor. Blood roared in Shuichi’s ears, blocking out all other sounds. At least he remembered a useful tip Rantaro had taught him and angled himself so he fell feet-first into the water, keeping his legs straight. The salt water shot up his nose and burned his sinuses. It also invaded his eyes, forcing him to shut them. He broke through the surface of the water, trying it rub the water out of his eyes. He couldn’t remember if he had seen a ladder or something on the wall of the giant storm drain, leaving him worried about how he was going to escape this situation.

Suddenly, he heard a sound indicating something had fallen into the water with him. For a moment, he thought it might be his bag, having fallen after he stepped on it. Still trying to blink the stinging salt water out of his eyes, he floundered around for the object, making contact with something living. At first, he thought Lumine had jumped in after him, but the fur was too short and fine to be Lumine’s, and this was definitely fur, which meant another pod of Mantine hadn’t come to rescue him again. Not one to complain when receiving help of any kind, he grabbed a hold of the individual in the water with him. They were a small but powerful swimmer, leading him to the wall and keeping him against it until he felt the familiar rungs of a ladder. He grabbed the ladder and finally managed to rub the water out of his eyes, painfully blinking a few times.

There was a Vaporeon in the water with him.

“Oh,” Shuichi coughed, “hello there. Where did you come from?”

The Vaporeon just swam in a circle near him. Shuichi shrugged and began climbing the ladder, the Vaporeon suddenly climbing his shoulders and clinging to his head. It was then that Shuichi noticed his hat was gone. He turned his head to look back in the water but didn’t see it.

_Well, I guess that’s the end of that._

He climbed the ladder out of the giant storm drain and heaved himself up to the firm floor of the docks, the Vaporeon stepping away from him. Lumine rushed over, licking the salt water off Shuichi’s face. He could see some small specks of blood on the Lycanroc’s muzzle and no sign of the trafficker, hinting he had fled after Lumine bit him.

“Okay, that’s the second time in two days I’ve almost drowned,” Shuichi sat up, rubbing his temple with one hand. “When I get back home, I’m not setting foot in the water ever again. I refuse to take baths; I’ll only shower.”

He grabbed the strap of his bag and slung it over his shoulder, using the railing to support his weight as he got back to his feet. Water dripped off his clothes and pooled on the floor. He was going to need to find something else to wear. He could sneak back onto Rantaro’s boat and find his duffel, but he would rather stay away from the water for now. He glanced toward the crate they had stowed the trafficker in, now noticing the panel had fallen off.

“C’mon Lumine,” Shuichi gestured for his Pokémon to follow him, carefully stepping around the evolutionary stones on the floor, and was surprised when the Vaporeon followed as well. 

“Thanks for your help,” he knelt and scratched the Vaporeon behind its ear fins, “but you should go back to your trainer.” He started walking away, Lumine beside him, but the Vaporeon continued to follow them. 

“Lumine,” Shuichi asked the Lycanroc, “did you see where this Vaporeon came from?”

Lumine sank down on his haunches, the Vaporeon sitting beside him. Shuichi frowned and shook his head, confused by Lumine’s behavior. He happened to spy his phone on the floor among the stones and retrieved it, relieved to see it wasn’t harmed from the fall. He also saw something else on the floor and stooped to pick it up. It was Scout’s Pokéball; it must have rolled out of his bag when he accidentally stepped on it.

Things suddenly started making sense. Shuichi looked down at the Pokéball in his hand, then towards the Vaporeon. The answer was obvious but, for some reason, he couldn’t believe it. With a shaky exhale, Shuichi returned Scout to his Pokéball and immediately released him, dropping to his knees and hugging his new Vaporeon to his chest.

Scout, the companion Shuichi had beside him since he was nine, who stuck by him through thick and thin, who showed absolutely no interest in evolving, had done so to save him. He thought back to that one night in his room, showing his Pokémon the diagrams of their evolutionary trees. He remembered Lumine expressing a desire to evolve into Midnight Lycanroc but evolved into Midday Lycanroc so he would be strong enough to fight Monokuma. He remembered Scout purposefully turning away from all the options, but now he was holding a Vaporeon in his arms.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

*Aether Paradise: Third Floor*

“I don’t like the look of the wound,” Kirumi stated.

She wished she had an ice pack or something to hold against the back of Kiyo’s neck to reduce the swelling. The wound was turning a sickly purple color, with small purple tendrils branching out from the site. Kiyo was drenched in sweat and was shivering violently. Kirumi readjusted her grip on his arm, struggling to keep him upright. He was taller than her, but stick-thin. Kiyo was muttering softly to himself. She tried listening to what he was saying, but it sounded like nonsense. 

“Enunciate, don’t stutter. No harm done, that’s no harm. Stay calm, don’t get flustered,” he mumbled.

“Yes,” Kirumi agreed, “I feel it is best we remain calm.”

Kiyo’s head flopped to the side to look at her, his yellow eyes glazed over and dull. “There’s nothing to worry. We’ve done nothing wrong.”

“From our perspective, yes, we have done nothing wrong.”

But Kiyo didn’t appear to have heard her. He shut his eyes and continued talking to himself, more shivers wracking his body. Kirumi was becoming more concerned by the moment. The sweat and shivering were common signs of poisoning, but the delirium was something different. Was that creature a Poison-type or was this something else? Kiyo suddenly whirled on her, grabbing her by the upper arms. Kirumi gasped at the sudden movement and the intensity of his gaze.

“We’re not wrong! We’ve done nothing wrong! Don’t fret over their worthless hides!”

“Kiyo, what’s wrong with you!? Let go!” She tried to pull away, her arms slipping through his grip until he was holding onto her wrists.

“Kirumi,” the mist in his yellow eyes lifted briefly, exposing how scared he looked, “run away. I don’t know what’s wrong, but you need to get away. Get help or… or I might hurt you.”

His entire body convulsed, and his fingers clamped tightly around her wrists, enough she was sure they would leave bruises. Kiyo shuddered and yanked her closer, his eyes clouded over once more. Kirumi struggled to free herself, successfully pulling one hand out of his grasp. She punched him in the shoulder of the arm still holding her, forcing him to let go, then shoved him away from her.

“You pushed me,” Kiyo said in a mystified tone. “You pushed me! Apologize right now! Apologize! Apologize!”

He was practically shrieking by this point, demanding she apologize for pushing him. He stepped forward but collapsed without anything holding him up. Even down on all-fours, he continued crawling forward, still insisting she apologize. Kirumi wasn’t proud of the decision she made, especially considering something was seriously wrong with her boyfriend, but she also knew she was in danger if she stayed here. If something happened to her, then Kiyo couldn’t be helped. She had to find the others. She had to find help.

Kirumi ran away.

*Aether Paradise: Docks*

Shuichi readjusted the new hat on his head. After wandering the docks, he found a set of lockers with extra Aether employee uniforms. The blinding white fabric wasn’t his style, but it was better than wearing his wet clothes. Besides, there were hundreds of employees, so maybe he could blend right in without anyone noticing. There was no better place to hide than under the enemy’s nose, right? The only downside was he had to return Scout and Lumine to their Pokéballs. None of the Aether employees patrolled with their Pokémon walking beside them, and he was worried they knew which Pokémon he had and would recognize him.

Feeling slightly more comfortable in his new disguise, Shuichi openly walked across the open space of the docks. It was still eerily empty, and he wondered if some sort of meeting had been called that the employees were required to attend. Putting his feelings of unease aside, he made his way to the elevator. He needed to reach the third floor and help Kirumi and Kiyo. The platform wasn’t there, so he pressed the button to summon it, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was observing him, despite the docks having been empty.

Four employees, armed with Pokémon, were on the elevator when it arrived. Shuichi panicked for a split second before forcing himself to calm down. He was in the Aether uniform; they wouldn’t notice he wasn’t an employee, right? They couldn’t possibly know every employee in Paradise. He was just another face in the crowd… or so he thought.

“Madame President would like to speak with you,” one of them stated, stepping off the elevator with their Manetric.

“Oh, is… is that so? Do you know what she wishes to discuss?” Shuichi responded, taking a step back.

“Oh, nothing in particular. Mostly about how you’re an intruder and you’ve already stolen vital information about our research,” said another.

 _So much for the disguise._ Shuichi turned and ran, the employees and their Pokémon hot on his tail. If he made it to Rantaro’s boat, he might be able to cast off in time his pursuers couldn’t jump on, but he didn’t trust himself enough with his meager expertise. Besides, with his luck, he’d end up in the water again.

Nevertheless, he ran for the edge of the docks, keeping against the water. His pursuers appeared to be keeping their distance, as if they weren’t all that worried about catching him. Somehow, that made the situation worse. He kept running until he was cornered, facing the water on the far end of the docks, no boats nearby for him to possibly swim to. It was either face the employees or face the ocean again. 

“Get back!” Shuichi rolled back his sleeve to show his Z Ring. If flashing it had been enough to get those scientists to back off, maybe it would be enough here too. The employees paused, exchanging glances, then looking past Shuichi at something behind him.

Shuichi hesitantly turned to see what they were looking at. Sol was levitating behind him, staring intently at Shuichi’s would-be attackers. Realizing the employees thought the Solrock was his Pokémon, Shuichi decided to run with the situation. He pried the Rockium Z out of the Z-Ring and held it up, the threat now clear to the employees. They backed away but didn’t flee, perhaps realizing they had power in numbers. 

_I can’t win this,_ Shuichi realized. Even if he released Lumine and Scout, that was only three Pokémon at his disposal: one wasn’t his and the other was recently evolved and he didn’t know what new moves he could use. 

Sol let a deep rumble, like an echo in his rocky body. Shuichi turned back to face him, the Solrock floating up and down in place and twisting slightly like a wheel. It was odd behavior; if Sol was here to help, why wasn’t he rushing in? Sol started twisting side to side, holding out the rocky protrusions on his sides towards Shuichi.

 _Oh… oh no._ He knew what Sol was hinting at, and boy, did he not want to do it. But, when stuck between some hostile Pokémon and jumping into the ocean, this was the best option he had. Shuichi took in a deep breath, pocketed the Rockium Z, and jumped onto the railing. The employees all surged forward, one managing to grab the back of his shirt, but Shuichi launched himself off the railing and grabbed Sol’s protrusions, swinging dangerously back and forth.

Shuichi couldn’t help but yell as Sol lifted him into the air, carrying him higher and higher above the water. He kicked his legs like he was trying to tread the air, fingers grasping onto Sol so tightly his knuckles turned white. Maybe someone out there would find this exhilarating, and if he ever met them, he would probably say they were crazy. Thankfully, Sol knew where he was going, so the ride wasn’t very long. Shuichi let out a shaky breath of relief as Sol dropped him off on the west deck.

“Shuichi!” Kaito immediately came running toward him. “What are you wearing?”

“An Aether uniform,” Shuichi replied, readjusting the strap of his messenger bag. The last thing he wanted to do was lose it. “Where did you guys go? I went to warn you about some scientists finding us and none of you were there!”

“The scientists found us first. They set some of those jellyfish things on us but Himiko’s Abra used Teleport to rescue us.”

“Those creatures attacked us too. One of them stung Kiyo.”

“They’re called Nihilego; they’re Ultra Beasts.”

Shuichi had heard the term "Ultra Beasts" mentioned by Chihiro, and read about them on the computer in the lab, but couldn’t picture what these creatures would look like. Suddenly, the odd appearance of Guzzlord and the Monokubs’ strange Pokémon made more sense. They were Ultra Beasts, creatures not of this world. He remembered where he heard the term "Ultra Beast" before Chihiro mentioned them: the picture Kaede had sent him from Brooklet Hill with the drawing of the statue in the sand. The living statue must have been an Ultra Beast as well.

“They stung Keebo and Tsumugi,” Kaito continued explaining. “Something’s wrong with them. Tsumugi keeps speaking in different voices and Keebo’s completely withdrawn into himself. They’re shivering and sweating like they’ve got a fever.”

“That sounds like poisoning. We need to get to the medical wing; Kirumi and Kiyo are up on the third floor, so we need to find them too.”

“What about the others in your group?”

“I don’t know where they went. Kiyo, Kirumi, and I were separated, and I sent them ahead since Kiyo was injured.”

“We’ll find ‘em,” Kaito assured, returning Sol to his Pokéball. “Himiko's Abra sensed you were down on the docks and I sent Sol to rescue you. Abra could probably track everyone's life signals or whatever it is he senses. My half of the group is in hiding; once we find the others, we’ll reconvene.”

No one batted an eye as Shuichi and Kaito walked past the reception area. Maybe they thought the duo were an employee escorting a visitor, but now that Shuichi knew his presence was known by the president, he was a lot warier about being around the other employees. He pulled the brim of the hat over his eyes, trying to hide from the world and his enemies, while Kaito didn’t even seem to notice. Shuichi braced himself when they summoned the elevator but, thankfully, no one was on board.

“You’re not going to believe what we found,” said Kaito as they rode the elevator up. “Nebby’s an Ultra Beast!”

“Wha— really?” Mosaic was created to destroy Ultra Beasts. The others were clearly dangerous, but Nebby wasn’t. Would Mosaic feel driven to fight Nebby if they ever met face-to-face?

“He doesn’t even come from space. He’s from beyond space! Do you think he could take me through the portals?”

“Um, you’ve seen some of the creatures from Ultra Space, do you really want to go where they’re from?”

“Hell yeah! It’s well worth the risk, in my opinion.”

 _Of course it is,_ but Shuichi couldn’t help but smile. The elevator reached the third floor and they stepped off. The halls were just as vast and confusing as Shuichi remembered them being his first time here. He could hear echoes of numerous voices from the cafeteria, and there was an odd employee or two walking through the halls who acknowledged Shuichi and Kaito with a nod of the head but didn’t try to stop them or ask what they were doing. 

_Maybe only those four employees had been alerted about me being an intruder. Or, they knew it was me because I was alone at the docks. Now I’m up here with a lot of employees and it’s more difficult to tell me apart from them._

“Shuichi?”

Shuichi turned to see one of the last person he wanted to, not because of confrontation, but because of his desire to leave her out of this. Chisa Yukizome was standing in the middle of the hallway he and Kaito had just entered, gaping in surprise at the two boys she most likely never expected to see again.

“What are you doing here!?” she whispered, hurrying toward them and grabbing Shuichi by the arm. “You shouldn’t be here! You’re in danger!”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” he replied, “but I’m not giving up on getting Mosaic back. Don’t bother trying convince me, I know the truth about his creation.”

Chisa grimaced and then grabbed both boys’ arms, dragging them down the hall and into a random empty medical room. She closed and locked the door behind them, then began ransacking the room. Shuichi and Kaito backed away as she tore the room apart, barely dodging a drawer pulled out from the desk.

“Okay,” she finally faced them, “this room is safe to speak in. Both of you need to leave Paradise, and maybe the Alolan Islands. Go back to the mainland.”

“That’s not happening,” Kaito stated bluntly.

Chisa’s eyes widened, then her frown deepened. Shuichi couldn’t help thinking she looked like a very stern mother who had just caught her children playing ball in the house. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, but Shuichi grabbed her wrist before she could punch in any numbers.

“I know you’re an agent of the International Police; Chihiro told me,” he said. “I know why you’re here and I know all you want is to keep us safe, but we’re not leaving until we find Nebby and Mosaic. We can’t leave them here.”

“I know how you feel. The entire reason I’m here is to stop their suffering, but you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into,” she replied.

“So, you’re not going to help us?” Kaito asked.

“I can’t let you stay here. For your own safety, I am forcing you to leave.”

“Then we’re done here,” Kaito snapped.

He unlocked the door and forced it open, stepping into the hall while dragging Shuichi behind him. Chisa looked as if she were struggling, caught between her desire to help them and her needing to remain undercover. While Shuichi saw the conundrum she was suffering from apparent in her expression, Kaito almost seemed to be purposefully ignoring her. Maybe he had held the hope that she would aid them, but now that he knew she wouldn’t and would actively try to stop them, he decided she was no longer an ally.

"Wait," Shuichi pulled against Kaito's grip, forcing him to stop. "Miss Yukizome, is Mosaic still alive?"" 

"Would you have come this far if you thought he was dead?" she responded.

"We found one of the Type: Null in one of the secret labs, vivisected and stuffed into a freezer. Unless I'm given irrefutable evidence the Type: Null I saw is Mosaic, I'm not going to stop looking for him. So, do you know if he's dead?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't."

"Okay, then we're not leaving Paradise until we find the truth." Shuichi and Kaito started walking away once more, leaving her behind.

“I order you to stop!” Chisa shouted, following them out into the hall. “Type: Null is a dangerous weapon designed to kill and Cosmog is a creature we still know so little about. The Aether Foundation will do everything in their power to keep both in their possession, including _murder_.”

Kaito and Shuichi both halted but didn’t turn to face her. Her words stabbed them in the heart, and they knew she spoke the truth. This was a precarious situation; Shuichi had already found himself targeted by scientists, employees, and the trafficker. If the president was aware he and his friends were here, Paradise had just become a death trap.

“As an officer of the International Police, I must insist you cease your actions and vacate the premises. Do so, or I will be forced to detain you,” Chisa spoke in a grave tone.

“I’m not leaving without Nebby!” Kaito yelled.

“And I’m not leaving without Mosaic!” Shuichi added. “We don’t care that Mosaic was created in a lab to be a weapon, or that Nebby is from another world. They’re our Pokémon, our _friends_ , and we’re not going to leave them here to suffer.”

Shuichi saw the telltale shimmer of empathetic tears in Chisa’s eyes, but she firmly shook her head. “I won’t let you.”

“Kaito!” Kirumi came sprinting up to them, looking more flustered than anyone had ever seen her before. Her hair was ruffled, she was panting from her run, and there were strange dark marks on her wrists. “Something’s wrong with Kiyo! He’s speaking nonsense and he attacked me!”

“What!?” Kaito looked enraged. He always found Kiyo odd, but they had a friendly relationship. He never thought Kiyo would be capable of attacking anyone, especially Kirumi.

“Where is he?” Shuichi stepped in to take charge of the situation before Kaito’s temper clouded his judgement.

“He started screaming at me. I had to leave him so I could find help,” but Kirumi had a guilty look on her face as she said this, like she was ashamed of her decision. 

“It’s not your fault,” Kaito assured her. “You did what was best at the time. Lead the way, we’ll take care of him.” 

“Wait,” Chisa stated firmly, stepping in front of them. “This… Kiyo person, is he normally violent?”

“No, not at all,” Kirumi answered, rubbing her wrists.

“Do you know what caused him to act this way?”

“He was attacked by those glass jellyfish creatures. They stung him on the neck.”

"Nihilego," Chisa’s face drained of all color. “Take us to him and I’ll lead you to the infirmary; we have a method for neutralizing the poison. Don’t worry sweetie, he’s going to okay.”

*Aether Paradise: Mansion*

“Madame President, we have intruders!”

“Is everything ready?”

“No, not yet, ma’am.”

“Do it anyway.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stand by it. Vaporeon are not covered in fish scales or rubbery skin. They are covered in short, sleek fur. Like river otters.


	18. Beast Killer's Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confronted by the Blinding One itself, Shuichi’s bond with Mosaic is put to the test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmog (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 2: Until We Meet Again

### 

Chapter 18: Beast Killer’s Burden

Nagisa sprinted down the halls, Poipole floating after him. He had received a brief message from Chisa telling him to go to the infirmary and bring Poipole. That could only mean one thing: someone had been poisoned by the Nihilego. At first, he assumed the victim must be one of the scientists in charge of wrangling them. The scientists were usually very good at following protocol and keeping themselves completely covered, including the masks on their heads. As long as they were covered head-to-toe, the Nihilego couldn’t pierce their skin and inject their toxins. Someone must have made a mistake and the Ultra Beasts took advantage of that.

The last person he expected to see standing in front of the infirmary was Shuichi Saihara, wearing an Aether employee uniform.

“You’re okay!” Shuichi smiled at him, clearly relieved to see Nagisa. “We couldn’t find you after Monokuma attacked, and we were so worried. He said you ran toward the oasis, but we didn’t know whether to believe him or not.”

“Yeah, I spent the night at the oasis then had a ferry pick me up and bring me back to Paradise. Move please, Miss Yukizome called me to treat some poor sap who got hurt.”

“Three poor saps,” Shuichi specified, stepping aside so Nagisa could enter through the glass doors. 

The main room of the infirmary, the one with the cages and cubicles, was completely empty of Pokémon and people. Nagisa was confused for a moment before Shuichi lightly tapped his knuckles against the door leading to the examination room. The door cracked open and Chisa peeked through, completely opening it to allow Shuichi and Nagisa to enter. Nagisa recognized a few of the people crowded in the room, like the boy with green hair. The silver-haired boy ( _Keebo?_ Nagisa believed his name was) was staring at a wall with a blank expression, his skin was covered in a layer of sweat, and he was completely still, like a statue. Two other figures were violently thrashing on the floor while some of the others tried in vain to hold them down. The blue-haired girl was speaking in an uncharacteristically-deep voice before switching to a much higher one. The long-haired boy was screaming at his friends, calling them insignificant specks of the universe.

“Hold them down!” Chisa instructed. “And turn them so the puncture wounds are exposed.”

Shuichi moved Keebo away from the wall and held up his right hand, the appendage painfully swollen and purple. Poipole floated over, inspecting the wound closely, before stabbing the tip of her tail into his skin. Shuichi winced sympathetically, but Keebo didn’t even flinch. The purple tone in his skin slowly faded until it was gray, and the swelling subsided. Keebo let out a groan and went limp against Shuichi. 

Maki had Tsumugi pinned to the floor on her stomach, holding her arms behind her back and sitting on her legs to keep her from kicking. When Poipole approached, Maki twisted her fingers in Tsumugi’s hair and forcibly turned her head to expose the wound on the side of her neck. Poipole repeated the same process as she did with Keebo, Tsumugi going still as the wound was treated. Kiyo was struggling the hardest and required Kirumi, Rantaro, and Tenko to keep him held down in a sitting position. Kirumi had him by the legs, Rantaro was behind him, hugging him tightly to keep his arms pinned to his sides, and Tenko was gripping his head, holding his hair to the side so Poipole had access to the wound on the back of his neck. Kiyo stiffened once she pierced his skin and began fighting even more fiercely, but as the swelling went down, he went limp. The three let him go and he fell back onto the linoleum. Kirumi crawled forward to check his pulse and breathing.

“They’ll be okay,” Nagisa informed the others. “They’ll continue to have fever-like symptoms—sweating, shivering, muscle weakness, maybe some remnants of the personality shifts— but they’re not in danger anymore.”

“What would the poison have done to them?” Kirumi asked.

“Nihilego are parasitic creatures,” Nagisa explained. “They attach themselves to a host and inject neurotoxins into them. These toxins can cause a loss of inhibition and manipulate one’s thoughts, wearing down their mental processes and making them behave violently.”

“How come you were fine, then?” Tenko said to Ryoma.

“Who knows?” Ryoma shrugged.

“Wait,” Nagisa spoke, “you were stung by a Nihilego?”

“Yeah, when Tenko and I were in Verdant Cavern, Monophanie’s Nihilego stung me. I felt like I could fight anything, but I wasn’t like this,” he gestured to Keebo, Tsumugi, and Kiyo.

“One of the Monokubs had a Nihilego?” Nagisa asked, his tone clearly indicating he had not known that. He turned to look at Chisa, glaring accusingly. “What else have you kept from me?”

“Nagisa…”

“No!” he interrupted her. “I am the only person on this entire planet with experience working with Ultra Beasts! If a group of criminals somehow got their hands on Ultra Beasts, I need to know!”

His rant was disrupted by someone knocking on the examination room door. Shuichi jumped up and opened the door to let Kaito, who was holding Himiko’s Abra, through with the rest of their friends. It was crowded in the room, but none of them seemed to care, more interested in greeting one another and making sure everyone was all right.

“You’re wearing white!” Miu shrieked, pointing at Shuichi. “It’s the end of the world!”

“Was it difficult to find everyone?” Shuichi asked Kaito.

“No, Abra was really helpful,” he replied, handing the Pokémon back to Himiko. “How are they?”

“Nagisa’s Pokémon neutralized the poison.”

“Nagisa!?” Kaito gaped at the small boy. “You’re okay!”

“Be quiet!” Nagisa ordered, turning on Chisa. “Start explaining! And don’t try and pull that ‘you’re too young’ crap! I am a researcher of the Aether Foundation, I am a former inhabitant of Ultra Megalopolis, and I have traversed Ultra Space! I probably have more life experience than any of these idiots!”

“Hey!” Kaede snapped, but Nagisa kept going before she could berate him for his rudeness.

“Stop treating me like a child when I have the mental capacities of someone much older! Why do the Monokubs have a Nihilego? Why won’t you let our guards do anything about Monokuma? Why won’t you let me go get Cosmog back?”

“Cosmog?” Kaito gasped. “That’s what Nebby is! You know about Nebby?”

“Nagisa, stop,” Chisa told him firmly, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him towards the wall. “All of you need to leave Aether Paradise and the Alolan Islands. No exceptions.”

“I thought you were nice!” Phantom whined. “But… you are a liar after all.”

Chisa audibly swallowed, staring at Phantom with a panicked expression. The boy swaggered toward her, his hands behind his back and a smirk on his face.

“You were lying to us when we first came to Paradise. When Mister Detective showed you a picture of Nebby, you recognized him, didn’t you? And we know the foundation created Mosaic, so you lied about not knowing anything about him too. _And_ according to Nagisa, you’ve been hiding a lot from him as well. Don’t you know the truth will set you free?”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you,” Maki griped.

“Look where your lies got you,” Phantom continued, ignoring Maki’s comment. “Three people are poisoned, you’ve lost your protégé’s trust, and a group of sixteen innocent young adults are at risk for getting killed just for knowing the gist of what’s happening in Paradise. And it’s all. Your. Fault.”

“Stop it!” Kaito grabbed Phantom and slapped a hand over his mouth, but the latter just gave him a smug look. He knew he had succeeded and didn’t need to say anything else.

“I’m sorry,” Chisa murmured. “Everyone… I’m truly sorry. I know you want the truth, and I do firmly believe it is in your best interest you be left out of this whole situation, but that’s obviously not going to happen. So, let’s start from the beginning.”

“Despite its prestige and prominence in Alola and the scientific community worldwide, the Aether Foundation is a relatively new establishment, founded barely four years ago. Two years ago, Nagisa come to our world. His sudden appearance at the Lake of the Moone, and his subsequent explanation of how he got here, led to a new interest in Ultra Space and the Ultra Wormholes. Soon, most of the funding was going towards researching Ultra Space. Around this time, Junko got her hands on two Cosmog.”

“Junko?” Shuichi repeated.

“Junko Enoshima, president of the Aether Foundation. We don’t know where she obtained the two Cosmog, but the ensuing experiments caused several strange phenomena to bombard the islands. That’s when the International Police stepped in and I went undercover. The Cosmog were opening Ultra Wormholes and Ultra Beasts were coming through, wreaking havoc.”

“I warned you all that would happen!” Nagisa insisted. “Ultra Beasts are very unpredictable and will strike out when in an unfamiliar environment. My research with the Cosmog always carried that risk, but Madame President demanded I continue.”

“It wasn’t a risk,” Chisa revealed. “Those Ultra Beasts weren’t appearing by chance, Junko was purposefully summoning them using the Cosmog.”

“…What?” Nagisa wilted. “But…but I told her they were dangerous! They could destroy the islands if left unchecked!”

“Exactly, so Junko planned a way to keep them in-check.”

“The Beast Killer Project,” said Shuichi.

“Exactly,” Chisa nodded. “Junko ordered her scientists to create a biological weapon that could be controlled just like a Pokémon but had the ability to change its elemental type to have the advantage against any Ultra Beast. At first, they supposedly succeeded. They created three creatures whose types changed when in a controlled environment, but when put into a field test, all three went mad when their types were changed through the RKS system. The research team tried to control them by placing limiter helmets on their heads, and while that did restrict their raw power, it also prevented the scientists from accessing the RKS system, so the types couldn’t be changed anymore. The three creatures wouldn’t stabilize, so the project was considered a failure.”

“And the three were renamed Type: Null and cryogenically frozen,” Shuichi added.

“This was all happening here?” Nagisa looked as if he didn’t want to believe it, but knew, deep down in his heart, it was true.

“The three were frozen, but Junko demanded the project not be given up on,” Chisa affirmed. “Research continued, and many more experiments were conducted on the Type: Null. They were thawed just to experiment on them and then refrozen. Despite not having her weapon, Junko continued to summon Ultra Beasts and capture them, but now she set her sights on a bigger target. Nagisa, I’m sure you know what happened next.”

The boy looked sick to his stomach and he reluctantly started speaking. “Madame President discovered the story of the Pillager of Light and asked me if my people had a similar legend since the story depicted the Pillager appearing suddenly from the sky, hinting it came from an Ultra Wormhole. I read the story and realized the Pillager was Necrozma, the Blinding One. I… I thought she was worried about accidently summoning it during our experiments, so I told her everything I knew. I didn’t know about the Beast Killer Project. I didn’t know she was purposefully bringing Ultra Beasts to this world.”

“This isn’t your fault,” Chisa assured him. “None of this is your fault, so don’t you dare feel guilty.”

“So, this bitch’s plan is to summon Necrozma?” said Miu. “For what exactly? Bragging rights?”

“I don’t know what her intentions are,” Chisa replied, “but nothing good will come from bringing that thing here. Things are bad enough with the Ultra Beasts.”

“Um, yeah!” Tenko snapped. “There’s a pack of Nihilego running around poisoning people!”

“They’re not meant to have free-reign of the facility, only the secret labs and the mansion.”

“Um,” Shuichi scratched the back of his neck, “we were… sneaking around in the secret labs. That’s why they attacked us.”

“Wait,” Kaede interjected, “so these things are supposed to be guarding the labs from intruders? She’s purposefully setting them on people?”

“To protect her secrets, she’ll do anything,” Chisa growled, her tone indicating a deep hatefulness towards Junko. “That’s why I had to lie. That’s why I had to mislead you, Shuichi. If she thought you knew her secrets and would tell the outside world, or try to stop her, she would dispose of you without a second thought. I had to make you leave Paradise.”

Shuichi forced himself to make eye contact with her, seeing the remorse she held for her lies. Despite his frustration with her attempts to obstruct their mission, he felt sympathetic towards her. It was obvious she hated herself for the things she had been forced to do and she only held affection for him and his friends, despite only knowing them for a short period. Honestly, he felt she would have been better teacher or caretaker than an agent of the International Police.

There was a sudden buzzing noise, causing everyone to jump and frantically look around. Nagisa and Chisa both pulled out small radios from their pockets, which were the source of the buzzing sound. 

“Attention Aether employees, a group of hostile individuals have entered Aether Paradise,” a tinny voice from the speaker announced. “Guards, please report to the docks. Other employees, please take shelter in the designated safe rooms.”

“They know we’re here,” Kiyo struggled to sit up, one hand clutching his head. 

“Well, we lost our subtleness when we ran around trying to escape the Nihilego,” said Phantom.

“And me screaming in the halls probably didn’t help.”

“All of you, stay here,” Chisa ordered, her “stern mother” attitude evident in her tone. “Don’t leave this room until I come back to get you.”

With that, she exited the examination room, giving each of them a firm glare before shutting the door. Kiyo shifted so he could rest his head on his knees drawn to his chest. Tsumugi was groaning, trying to brush through her sweat-soaked, tangled hair with her fingers. For now, the group of friends began comforting one another. Nagisa purposefully distanced himself, standing in the corner with a horrified expression. His Poipole was floating around him, trying to cheer him up by pulling faces.

“Ultra Beast,” Keebo croaked, a trembling hand pointing to Poipole. 

Everyone turned to Poipole, backing away and shielding their friends who were still weak from their ordeal. Nagisa was shaken from his stupor, immediately grabbing Poipole and protectively holding her against his chest.

“She’s tame!” he insisted. “She wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

“Ultra Beasts can be tamed?” said Maki. “But the information on the computer said they were vicious.”

“They’re not too different from Pokémon,” Nagisa said while patting Poipole’s head. “With proper training and affection, they can be useful partners.”

“Maybe that’s why the Monokubs can control them,” Kaede remarked. “If you treat them like Pokémon, they’re not really any different.”

“I don’t know about you, but that Guzzlord ain’t like anything I’ve run into,” Miu snapped. “But… does that mean Necrozma isn’t as big a threat? If it’s captured?”

“No!” Nagisa burst out. “Necrozma is a monster unlike any you’ve encountered! It doesn’t have emotions! It won’t feel remorse for its actions and it can’t be reasoned with. More than anything, we have to stop Necrozma from coming to this world! Or… or this place will end up just like my home.”

“We’ve got the Z-Crystals!” Angie cheered. “Let’s fight a monster!”

“You can’t fight it,” Nagisa firmly shook his head. “Nothing can defeat Necrozma. Even in the old story, the Beasts of Light and Guardian deities just drove it back through the Ultra Wormhole. If they could only deflect it, what makes you think you can defeat it?”

“Fine,” Kirumi spoke up, “if we can’t fight Necrozma, then we’ll have to stop it from being summoned.”

“But we couldn’t get through the third door in the secret labs,” Shuichi reminded them. “At least, I’m assuming that’s where Junko has Nebby hidden; especially, if the Nihilego are guarding that floor.”

“That’s not all!” Kaede added. “Miss Yukizome said they’re also guarding the mansion. Nagisa, could Junko have Nebby hidden in the mansion?”

“I’ve only been in there once,” he answered, “and I barely saw anything. From what I know, Madame President is very selective about who she allows in the mansion.”

“Sounds like a hideout to me!” Kaito proclaimed. “Let’s go!”

“Wait,” Phantom blocked him from walking out the door, “you’re just going to waltz out there when the entire staff knows there are hostile intruders here?”

“But the message said the guards needed to report to the docks and everyone else to safe rooms,” Kaito argued. “The halls will be empty!”

“Maybe we could send out a scout,” Kaede suggested. “Someone inconspicuous. Wait, what about Scout? Were there Eevee in the conservation area?”

“Um,” Shuichi sheepishly scratched the back of his head, “Scout’s no longer inconspicuous.”

With a flash of light, his friends were gaping at the sight of his new Vaporeon. Kaede squealed and scooped Scout into her arms, hugging him tightly and petting his short, sleek fur, while Kaito congratulated Shuichi. After nine years as an Eevee, seeing Scout as a Vaporeon was both shocking and exciting. While this news was thrilling, they quickly realized they were right back where they started concerning their next move.

“I say we stampede!” Tsumugi shouted enthusiastically in a deep voice before catching herself and continuing in her actual, more reserved voice. “Overwhelm them with numbers?”

“There’s a lot more of them than there are of us,” Ryoma disputed. “Unless, Kaito’s statement about them being in the safe rooms holds water.”

“I doubt that’ll stop the Nihilego, though,” Kiyo growled, tenderly touching the wound on his neck.

“Then we’ll lure them,” said Kaede. 

“How? We don’t exactly have a spare mannequin lying around,” Phantom retorted.

“I think I have an idea!” Rantaro announced, releasing his Slowpoke from his Pokéball. Slowpoke looked around, barely acknowledging where he was or the others in the rom.

“Slowpoke have a very slow reaction time,” Rantaro explained. “If we use him as bait and he lures the Nihilego, he won’t respond to the neurotoxin until hours later and hopefully, by that time, we’ll find Nebby and Mosaic and get Slowpoke treated by Poipole.”

“That… that could work,” Nagisa realized. “The Nihilego will probably be confused by Slowpoke not responding to their toxins and will wait and see if he does.”

“But Miss Yukizome said to stay here,” Gonta spoke up.

“Miss Yukizome doesn’t know the severity of the situation,” Nagisa told him. “I’m tired of waiting and seeing. If Madame— no, Junko— if Junko summons Necrozma and the Beast Killers can’t stabilize, we don’t have the means to fight it. We have to stop her before she can bring it here; it’s the only way we can save the light of this world.”

“Leave us behind,” Kiyo stated, gesturing to Tsumugi and Keebo. “We’re too weak; we’ll only slow you down.”

“Leave you behind to get captured? I don’t think so!” Kaito puffed up his chest, grinning widely as he assumed his hero pose. “We’re not leaving anyone behind! Not Nebby! Not Mosaic! And definitely not you guys!”

*Aether Paradise: Reception Area*

There was an eeriness in descending to the reception area and finding absolutely no one manning the front desks or wandering around. Maybe the vast size of Paradise resulted in some areas being bare of employees sometimes, but not like this. Nagisa led the group through the door to the north deck, the entire open space empty of any presence, but they knew to be cautious. The Nihilego already displayed the ability to materialize from nowhere when two of the three appeared to attack the fleeing individuals from Shuichi’s investigating team. The sun was bright and shining in the sky, juxtaposing with the dread they were feeling. When they managed to safely walk to the mansion without being confronted, the dread only deepened.

“Wow,” Himiko couldn’t help but marvel at the grandeur of the mansion. Grandeur… but no ambiance of comfort and coziness. Everything was too cold and sterile for this to be someone’s home.

Poipole suddenly started frantically gesturing to Nagisa. The boy snapped his head, looking around for whatever she was warning them of. 

“Release Slowpoke and let him wander around,” Nagisa instructed Rantaro. “I think the Nihilego are here.” 

Rantaro nodded in agreement and released Slowpoke. Again, the dopey Pokémon looked around listlessly. Rantaro nudged him with his toe and Slowpoke started leisurely wandering from the entrance hall to one of the side rooms.

“Where do we go?” Shuichi wondered. “I never looked too closely at the mansion’s floor plans.”

“There’s a good chance whatever we’re looking for isn’t in the floor plans,” Phantom offhandedly mentioned. “The secret labs were in the plans because researchers worked down there, but the run-of-the-mill employees didn’t need to know. This is _her_ secret. No one needs to know.”

“So… we’re looking for a hidden switch? Like a book on a bookcase or a button on a statue?” said Tsumugi. Tenko was carrying her on her back; Gonta had Keebo, who was still relatively silent; and Kirumi was supporting Kiyo, but flinched at every disjointed movement he made, worried he might turn and attack her again.

“Should we split up?” Kaede suggested.

“No!” Miu barked. “Bad things happen when we split up!”

“Be quiet!” Nagisa hissed, causing Miu to recoil despite the size difference. “If the Nihilego hear us, what was the point of luring them with Slowpoke!?”

“But she does have a point,” Shuichi remarked. “Bad things do happen to us when we split up.”

Nagisa looked like he wanted to argue, most likely mentioning a larger group would draw more attention, but he also noticed how each of them were attaching themselves to one another. Too many traumatizing things had happened to them to risk separating. It didn’t matter what he said; they weren’t splitting up.

There were two staircases opposite one another in the front hall, an end table with a floor-length table cloth standing between them. The group climbed the staircase on the right, forced to march single-file to fit. Shuichi peeked his head to look up and down the hall the stair opened into. After not seeing any sign of the Nihilego that were allegedly stalking the mansion, he wordlessly invited everyone to join him on the landing. The walls and ceiling were white, while their footsteps were muffled by a gray and blue rug, but the colors didn’t feel as bright and pristine as downstairs. It was almost as if whoever lived here allowed the life and color to be sucked out of the upstairs. 

Like they didn’t care.

Kaito approached one of the doors lining the hall and tried to open it, but the doorknob kept turning repeatedly. Confused, he tried turning it the other way only to realize there was no internal mechanism. The door wouldn’t open because the doorknob was fake. Himiko approached a different door and tried to open that one, but the same thing happened. Soon, all of Shuichi’s friends were trying to open doors that wouldn’t open.

“That’s strange,” Kirumi commented. “Do none of these doors open?”

“Fakes and frauds!” Kiyo snarled before slapping himself in the face. “Sorry. It appears these doors are decoys, intended to give the impression of several room on this floor.”

“But why?” Himiko wondered.

“To hide secrets, of course!” Phantom snickered wickedly, spinning one of the doorknobs like a wheel. “The downstairs was nice and clean because visitors go through there, but not here. Why bother making it look nice?”

“If none of the doors open, then there aren’t any rooms up here,” Shuichi realized. “Which means our secret door is somewhere downstairs.”

“Not necessarily,” Nagisa interjected. “Let’s search this floor before abandoning it.”

Despite all the doors in the first hallway revealing themselves as fakes, they still tested every door they came across on the off-chance one of them was real and hidden in plain sight. Shuichi turned down another hall, this one running the length of the front of the mansion and had windows offering a view of the north deck, but saw there were no doors here, neither fake nor real. He made it halfway down the hall, stopping beside another end table with a floor-length tablecloth.

“It’s useless!” Tsumugi cried in a high-pitched voice. “We’ll never find the secret door!”

“Don’t be like that!” Kaito responded. “You gotta stay optimistic!”

“I’ll cheer her up! Wanna see a magic trick?” Without waiting for an answer, Phantom grabbed the tablecloth and yanked it hard. His intention was probably to pull it so fast the flower vase on top stayed upright, but he ended up pulling it off with the tablecloth, flinging it into the opposite wall and shattering it.

“You idiot!” Miu shouted.

“Whoops!” Phantom grinned widely, flourishing the tablecloth and tying it around his shoulders like his old cape. On that note, Shuichi wondered where his original cape had disappeared to. He didn’t have it when Shuichi woke up in Paradise, so he somehow lost it between escaping the cargo hold and when Shuichi awoke.

“What’s this?” Ryoma spoke up, drawing their attention to a strange circular platform in the floor under the table. They moved the table aside to get a better look at the platform. It was glowing, and a faint hum could be heard coming from it.

“That’s a teleporter,” Nagisa answered. 

“Secret door!” Angie cheered. “Good job, everyone!”

“I’m not getting on that thing,” Miu stated. “Who knows where it could go?”

“It goes where we _need_ to go,” Maki responded. 

“Um…” Everyone looked to Rantaro, but he was staring at one end of the hall. They all looked in the same direction, noticing Slowpoke was strolling their way, the dopey grin on his face a little wider since he found his trainer. 

The three Nihilego were floating after him.

A couple elbows were thrown into ribs and faces in everyone’s struggle to be the first one on the teleporter. They didn’t know if the Nihilego could come through, but that didn’t matter at the time. All they could think of was escaping before they befell the same fate as Keebo, Tsumugi, and Kiyo. Shuichi managed to escape the tussle and fell forward onto the teleporter. A bright, green light enveloped him, and he felt weightless for a moment before gravity came crashing down.

Shuichi hit the floor with a loud thud but had the right state of mind to roll out of the way as several of his friends came bursting from the teleporter. He opened his eyes, staring at a high vaulted ceiling and listening to the groans of his friends as they rolled to their hands and knees to stand up. Shuichi sat up and looked around—

All the air left his lungs in an instant.

The walls of this new area were covered in strange, clear-ish blocks inserted into holes in the wall. From a distance, he couldn’t see much and wouldn’t have assumed anything about the blocks, but there were several of the blocks on the floor near them. There was a Pokémon in each block, frozen in time. Some had peaceful expressions, like they were asleep, but others’ eyes were wide open, their mouths frozen mid-scream. 

“What…” Kaede gaped in horror at the block containing a Pikachu. 

“Well, well,” said a new voice.

Shuichi looked across the room to see who had spoken. A woman was standing near a half-circle of machine panels. She had blond hair pulled into two ponytails and was wearing an outfit that was downright scandalous. Her shirt barely covered her busty chest; in fact, he could clearly see parts of her black, lacy bra. Her skirt was so short he was amazed it covered anything. She did wear what looked like a black-and-red lab coat, but it was hanging open to reveal her outfit. She was also wearing high-heeled boots with what looked suspiciously like blood specks on the front.

“ _Alola,_ ” Junko, Madame President of the Aether Foundation, greeted them with the Alolan wave, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”

“Holy shit,” Miu whispered, but Shuichi couldn’t tell of she was awed by Junko’s appearance or terrified by the intimidating aura that practically radiated from her.

“Shuichi!” Kaito pointed toward the half-circle of machines. Shuichi followed his arm, spying a diamond-shaped case sitting on one of the machines, just like the case they had rescued Nebby from the first time. Junko also noticed what Kaito was pointing at and purposefully pushed the case off the panels. Even from the distance, they all heard Nebby cry out as the case hit the floor.

“You bitch!” Kaito roared, jumping to his feet. “Give him back!”

“Mmmm—no,” she smirked at him. “Make me, simpleton.”

“Alright then,” Kaito snarled, releasing his Pokémon. “Get the case!”

All four rushed forward, trying to overwhelm Junko with numbers alone. Kaito gasped in shock when Nova and Comet came flying back at him. He managed to catch them out of the air, despite Comet’s rocky shell knocking the wind out of him. Junko sneered at Sol and Lune, brandishing a metal pipe she had pulled from her lab coat. The duo backed away, trying to judge how serious she was, before fleeing back to Kaito, clearly terrified.

Shuichi and the rest of his friends got to their feet, fearfully eyeing Junko. Nagisa looked more shocked than any of them. He had interacted with her plenty of times, but personally and professionally, and he had never seen her acting this way. But, he now knew the truth about her; the rose-colored glasses were off, and he was seeing the true colors of the woman he once respected. 

“As much as I’d like to cave all your skulls in,” Junko twirled the pipe like it was a baton, “that would take up too much time. It’s best I get rid of you quickly, so I can focus on something a lot more important.”

“We’re not good enough for you!?” Tenko shouted, readjusting her grip on Tsumugi.

“Oh, hell no,” Junko laughed. “I’ve got people to handle tasks I don’t want to.”

Shuichi heard the buzz of the teleporter behind them. He spun to face whoever had come through, only to find himself face-to-face with the leering, sharp-toothed grin of Monokuma. Everyone jumped back as the Monokubs emerged beside him; however, unlike their leader, none of them looked eager to be there. They spread out, forming a circle around Shuichi and his friends to keep them from escaping. The group fearfully compressed themselves together, facing outward so none of their enemies could jump them.

“Welcome to your deaths,” Monokuma said cheerfully, holding his arms out like he was a ringmaster presenting his show to his excited audience.

“Wh-why do you have to k-kill us?” Himiko stammered, trying to hide behind Gonta. 

“Because you know too much!” he replied like it was obvious, his grin never wavering. “Besides, you’re doomed to perish in the coming months anyway.”

“What’s going to happen in the coming months?” said Kaede, her hand slowly reaching for her Pokéballs.

“Uh oh!” Monokuma gripped his cheeks, stretching his smile even wider. “I shouldn’t have said that! Oh well… Y’see the world is going end!”

“End?” Gonta whimpered.

“Once we summon and capture Necrozma, we’ll control the light,” Junko proclaimed, speaking as if she were a lecturing college professor. “No doubt the rest of the world will fall into chaos once it goes dark. People’s true colors will shine in the darkness. Murder, mayhem, pillaging… it’s all the same song-and-dance whenever a great tragedy occurs.”

“You’re wrong!” Kaede shouted. “Tragedies can make people desperate, but it can also bring out the best in others! Others who want to help those affected!”

“You can’t summon Necrozma!” Nagisa interrupted. “You can’t control it! All you’ll do is reduce this world to what my world has become!”

“Um, duh?” Junko started giggling hysterically. “Maybe things in Ultra Megalopolis are balanced now, but they didn’t used to be. So, maybe this world will find balance and cling to the hope that one day the light will return, or it could fester in despair and destroy itself. Real crapshoot.”

“You’re gambling the entire fate of our world?” Shuichi’s voice faltered midway through his statement.

“I’m a people-watcher. I want to see the raw emotion of humanity, and what better way to provoke that rawness than to throw society into turmoil? Can people recover after living with set laws and order for so long, or will they turn to chaos to survive?”

Monokuma released Guzzlord from its Beast Ball, the lumbering Ultra Beast bellowing loudly. It clearly recognized the group that had defeated it before, its strange, clawed tendrils whipping wildly. The group screamed and tried to back away, but the Monokubs’ Ultra Beasts prevented them from escaping. Shuichi trembled, his eyes frantically darting from one Ultra Beast to the next. Kartana drifted from side-to-side harmlessly; Xurkitree’s cable-like limbs waved listlessly; Stakataka’s blocks rearranged themselves in random patterns; Blacephalon just stood there, not moving; and Nihilego was curled in on itself, like a shy little girl. 

“My dear cubs,” said Monokuma, “now’s the time to earn your papa’s love.”

“What kind of father treats his children like that?” Angie scolded.

“They’re not my actual children, you idiot,” Monokuma sneered, “but I’m the best parent they’re ever going to have. So, if they want to stay in my good graces, they’ll do as I say.”

None of the Monokubs dared make eye contact with him, choosing to hunch their shoulders and stare at the floor or walls. Monokuma’s smile lessened slightly, as this was clearly not what he wanted to see from them. With a shrug, he snapped his fingers and ordered Guzzlord to attack. The Ultra Beast raised one of its tendrils, ready to bring it crashing down on the group of people before it, but it wavered when Nagisa’s Poipole jumped out in front. Given the vast size difference, the sight of Poipole intimidating Guzzlord was almost humorous if the situation weren’t so dire.

“Monokubs, fulfill your duties,” Monokuma prompted, his tone indicating his annoyance.

The Monokubs each exchanged glances, but none of them made a move to attack.

“Hey!” Junko shouted. “Why did I give you those Ultra Beasts if you weren’t going to use them!?”

“She’s right my dear cubs,” Monokuma’s smile look painfully strained. “We discussed this.”

“I…” Monophanie whimpered. “I can’t do it.”

“What!?” Monokuma growled, whirling to face her and raising his arm like he was going to slap her. He almost managed to touch her when Nihilego shielded her from the strike, forcing Monokuma to stop lest he be poisoned.

“Don’t make us use them!” Monophanie sobbed, reaching out and clutching Nihilego. Shuichi held his breath, waiting for her to scream as the Ultra Beast stung her; waiting for her to devolve into fever-fueled ramblings as the neurotoxins took hold. 

But nothing happened.

“They’re not monsters! She’s a good girl!” Monophanie begged, holding Nihilego like it was a stuffed animal. Amazingly, Nihilego wrapped its tentacles around her as well so the two were hugging. “She doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Maybe that’s why I wasn’t affected,” Ryoma pondered quietly, rubbing the back of his head.

 _Nagisa said Ultra Beasts could be tamed with proper training and affection,_ Shuichi remembered. _Did the Monokubs tame their Ultra Beasts? Are they harmless?_

“The rest of you do something now!” Monokuma demanded, his calm façade fading.

“No,” Monosuke replied bluntly, protectively standing in front of Xurkitree. “If you’re going to force us to give them up, we won’t go down without a fight.”

“Against you, specifically,” said Monotaro, grasping Blacephalon’s hand.

There was something disturbing about watching Monokuma lose his composure. He started wildly gesturing for Guzzlord to attack the Monokubs and their Ultra Beasts, but they quickly banded together, breaking the circle they had formed around Shuichi and his friends. Guzzlord was a lot more intimidated by a group of Ultra Beasts than it was by a group of Pokémon. Realizing they had a chance to turn things in their favor and make some new allies, Shuichi moved forward to stand beside the Monokubs. The five looked surprised to see him but didn’t object.

The teleporter hummed as a body emerged from it. The newcomer grabbed Monokuma into a tight embrace, pinning his arms to his sides. Monokuma squawked in alarm as he was lifted off the floor, his legs pedaling wildly. Guzzlord’s tail came swinging down, hitting the assailant and forcing them to let go. Monokuma scrambled away once he was free, finally realizing he was surrounded by enemies.

“Oh, you done fucked up now, son!” Mondo cracked his knuckles, glaring hatefully at Monokuma and Guzzlord. 

Kiyotaka picked himself off the floor, trying to shake off the hit he took from Guzzlord’s tail. Both Yuta and Chihiro helped him to his feet, Mondo temporarily holding off on his threats to make sure his boyfriend was okay. Aoi and Sakura both glowered at the Monokubs, who shrunk under their gazes.

“Don’t,” Shuichi stepped in. “They’re not our enemies. They surrendered.” Neither woman looked like they believed him but chose to trust him for now. 

“How did you find us?” Maki asked the newcomers.

Her question was answered when Rantaro’s Slowpoke toddled over to his trainer and collapsed from either exhaustion or the poison. Rantaro hastily returned his Pokémon to his Pokéball until the poison could be neutralized. Guzzlord started lumbering after Monokuma, forcing everyone to scramble out of the way.

“I told you to stay in the infirmary!” Chisa chided the group. “We’ll discuss this later.”

She gently pushed Shuichi aside and walked toward Junko and Monokuma, who were both sheltered near the machines. She made it about halfway across the room before Guzzlord started growling, forcing her to halt. 

“Junko, just let the Cosmog go,” Chisa spoke in a calm, even tone, but it was obvious she was internally panicking. “The International Police will show leniency if you surrender without a fight.”

“Oh, you two-faced whore,” Junko snickered. “You expect me to believe that?”

Junko speared her metal pipe through the handle of the case and lifted it, swinging the case back and forth. Nebby repeatedly cried from within, prompting Kaito to try and rush forward, only to be stopped by Maki and Kaede grabbing his arms.

“Why would I give this up?” Junko flung the case to the floor. “This little cretin is my ticket to Necrozma, and maybe even more. After all, if they were considered grand gifts by the ancient Alolans, there must be more to them than what’s on the surface.”

“Gifts?” Angie repeated.

“You should know better than anyone. ‘And the Beasts of Light bestowed a mighty gift to the great kings of old: the power of the stars, to protect and cherish the bond between the islands and the Beasts. This,” she tapped the case with her metal pipe, “is the power of the stars: Cosmog.”

“Cosmog is the gift the Beasts gave to the kings?” Angie mumbled.

“Whatever,” Junko stated flippantly. “I think it’s time we get this party started.”

Nebby suddenly began screaming, small studs on the sides of case glowing brightly as they collected his power. Kaito began fighting against Maki and Kaede, trying in vain to reach his beloved Pokémon and end his torture. Shuichi gaped in horror as the thin air above the half-circle of machinery cracked like glass. The cracks spiderwebbed out, becoming more visible as Nebby’s power was harvested, before shattering to reveal a hole in nothing. Junko reached into a pocket of her lab coat and pulled out a remote. The floor in the center of the room retracted so a platform could rise from below, forcing Chisa to back away. A large mass was huddled on the platform but trembled and struggled to escape its bonds.

“You can’t do this!” Chihiro screamed. “Don’t torture them anymore!”

“You’re outnumbered, Junko!” Shuichi shouted. “Even if Necrozma comes through, we’ll push it back! We have the Monokubs and the Ultra Beasts on our side!”

The mass on the platform paused upon hearing Shuichi’s voice, then began to struggle twice as hard. It was covered in armor, restricting its movements, but the armor also had small studs like the ones on the diamond-shaped case, hinting the armor was also meant to enhance the figure’s power.

“Those studs were supposed to be Z-Crystals,” Junko drawled, almost like she was depressed. “But the Totems wouldn’t let us take any. I thought we could use yours, but you don’t know how to share.”

Daunted by the mass’s struggling, Shuichi released Lumine and Scout from their Pokéballs. Several of his friends took his lead and started releasing their Pokémon as well. Many of their companions reacted aggressively toward the Ultra Beasts initially, but when they saw their trainers were looking at Junko instead, they shifted their focus.

“Shuichi,” Kaede let go of Kaito and grabbed onto Shuichi’s arm. “Look at its head.”

There was a large crest on the figure’s head, bound by a strange band. Shuichi now took a moment to take a close look at the figure. It had four legs, a large crest on its head, and any other features were covered in the thick armor.

“Mosaic?” he called out.

The figure paused, trying to turn its head to look at him. When its binds didn’t allow it to turn its head that far, it began repeatedly tugging against the ties, trying to break them. It finally succeeded and turned to look at him. In that instant, Shuichi knew his journey was over. Mosaic’s steel-gray eyes desperately stared into his, begging Shuichi to save him. 

“Oh, you’re the boy who found my Type: Null,” said Junko. “Thanks for that; I’d thought we lost it.”

“He’s not an ‘it!’” Shuichi yelled, Lumine bristling and Scout shrieking in response to their trainer’s emotions. “And he’s not yours! He doesn’t belong to you!”

There was a crack, like thunder, that silenced them. A ripple of energy in the air shook them to their bones. Nebby, who had gone silent after the Ultra Wormhole appeared, suddenly began screaming again. Mosaic started fighting his bindings again, bellowing and roaring even worse than when Shuichi moved him to the Kuzuryu Compound. The Ultra Wormhole pulsed, sending another ripple through the air. A large, black clawed hand burst through the wormhole, gripping the edge so its owner could pull itself out of Ultra Space.

Shuichi’s legs failed him; he collapsed to the floor, trembling in utter terror as the creature emerged from the Ultra Wormhole. Its body was jagged and unnatural, and appeared to be made of black prismatic crystals that absorbed any light that fell upon it. Lumine and Scout both whimpered and cowered beside Shuichi. Even Monokuma’s Guzzlord looked uneasy, stepping away from the Ultra Wormhole.

“Type: Null,” Junko pressed a button on her remote, Mosaic’s bindings finally coming loose, “defeat Necrozma.”

Even with the thick armor, Shuichi could see Mosaic’s chest was heaving. The Type: Null’s body was stiffened, his muscles tensed and his talons digging into the white floor. His head lifted to look at Necrozma, who wasn’t moving or responding to any stimuli, then his head turned to stare at Shuichi. For a moment, Shuichi felt the same stab of fear he had felt when he first tumbled into the underground cell. Mosaic’s eyes were wild, filled with the intensity of a killer. He had finally found his prey, so would he complete his purpose? Would everything Shuichi had done for him be worthless? Was Mosaic nothing but a Beast Killer?

With a desperate cry, Mosaic reared onto his hind legs, front legs raking the air. He threw himself down forcefully, his head slamming into the floor. Shuichi watched in bewilderment as Mosaic repeatedly hit his head against the floor before an audible crack echoed throughout the room. Half of the helmet encasing Mosaic’s head fell away, crashing against the floor. This set off a chain reaction: the rest of the armor on his body began to fall away. He shook his body to rid himself of the weight, his crest unfurling and breaking the band. Now he stood before them all, rid of any mechanism restricting his power.

 _All three Type: Null went mad when put into a training scenario,_ Shuichi recalled. _The helmets were meant to limit their power and help them stabilize, but even that wasn’t enough. There’s nothing limiting him now._

Mosaic stared at Necrozma, his eyes still filled with that wild intensity. He took a single step forward, then turned and ran. He ran all the way back to Shuichi. Several of Shuichi’s friends were in shock over Necrozma’s appearance, but Mosaic’s quick approach shook them out of their stupor. Most of them had only seen Mosaic from Shuichi’s picture, and it was obvious he was more frightening when one saw him physically. They tensed as he approached, then relaxed when he harmlessly ran by and nearly tackled Shuichi.

“Mosaic,” Shuichi buried his fingers into the Type: Null’s ruff, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him close. Mosaic’s hooked beak-like mouth began threading through Shuichi’s hair and a tongue licked a long, wet stripe up his cheek.

“Huh.” Despite her proximity to Necrozma, Junko barely seemed to realize the creature. She looked genuinely confused by Mosaic’s behavior. 

“Ha!” Kaito taunted. “What are you going to do now!? We have the Beast Killer on our side now!”

To give her some credit, Junko recovered quickly. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting that, but I always have a Plan B.”

With a flourish, she flung four Pokéballs and two Beast Balls into the air. After the blinding flashes of light, a Tyranitar, Gengar, Medicham, Aerodactyl, and two strange creatures Shuichi immediately assumed were Ultra Beasts since he had never seen anything like them. One was slender and elegant with a thin membrane on the back of its head that resembled hair dropping to his ankles. The other’s bright red skin was bulging with muscles and almost look like it could violently rip. It had a long proboscis on its head, like a Cutiefly.

Mosaic roared loudly at the two foreign creatures, firmly planting himself in front of Shuichi. Lumine and Scout took his lead and flanked him on either side. Realizing they were up for a battle, everyone else’s Pokémon readied themselves to attack, but Junko wasn’t finished yet. She rolled up her right sleeve, revealing a mechanism on her wrist that, at first glance, almost looked like a Z-Ring, except it covered her entire forearm and was covered in flashing lights. She pressed a sequence of buttons, several studs on the mechanism lighting up. Her four Pokémon suddenly began shrieking and thrashing in pain.

“What is she—?” Chisa started saying, only for each Pokémon to be enveloped in a rainbow-like aura.

“Did she just Mega Evolve all those Pokémon?” Phantom sounded dumbfounded.

The four Mega Pokémon now stood before them, panting heavily and still in apparent agony. Mega Evolution was supposed to be the pinnacle of trust between Pokémon and trainer, but Junko had somehow forced these Pokémon to Mega Evolve and it was clearly painful.

“Destroy them and I’ll end your suffering,” Junko ordered, her Ultra Beasts remaining by her side while the four Pokémon launched themselves forward, so desperate to escape their pain, they eagerly obeyed their trainer’s instruction despite her being the one who caused their pain.

Shuichi and his friends quickly split up to avoid the brunt of the Pokémons’ attack. Mega Tyranitar slid to a halt to avoid the teleporter, leaving dark marks on the floor. It swung its tail toward Chisa, who expertly dodged it and threw a small object into its face. A flash of light blinded the Mega Tyranitar, allowing it to be surrounded without a fight. Kiyotaka released a Watchog and instructed it to use Confuse Ray on the blinded Tyranitar, causing the large Pokémon to flounder around as Alba, Spooky, Octillery, Mawile, and Gloom attacked it repeatedly.

Mega Medicham tried to strike Himiko, only to be kicked in the chest by Tenko, her Mienfoo and Combusken coming up behind it as it stumbled back. Braixen unleashed a Psybeam attack, but Mega Medicham absorbed the attack with its hands, lessening the damage. Combusken and Mienfoo kicked its legs out from under it, bringing it crashing to the floor. Rex and Chuck started rushing in to help, but Medicham jumped back to its feet and elbowed both Combusken and Mienfoo in the face. Misdreavus came flying in and Mega Medicham tried to punch her out of the air, only to realize too late a Fighting-type move wouldn’t affect a Ghost-type as Misdreavus delivered a Psybeam directly to its face.

Phantom had removed the tablecloth cape from his shoulders and was taunting Mega Gengar with it. The Pokémon rushed forward, trying to bowl Phantom over, only for the small boy to side-step it at the last second, causing the tablecloth to cover Mega Gengar’s face and blind it.

“Olé!” he exclaimed, striking a pose like he was a Tauros fighter. Unfortunately, he saw the shadow of the approaching Pokémon underneath him but couldn’t move in time given its alarming size. He tried but he knew he wasn’t going to get clear of its reach once it dropped down on him.

Shuichi burst into a sprint, having seen the Mega Aerodactyl diving for Phantom from a distance. He fly-tackled Phantom to ground, rolling out the way just as Mega Aerodactly crashed to floor, its mouth snapping the empty air where the two of them had been a split second before.

“Ah, what the hell!?” Phantom groaned, rubbing his head. “Mister Detective, you couldn’t have been gentler? I’m a virgin, y’know.”

“Sorry,” Shuichi apologized, “I saw it coming for you, so I did what I could to save you.”

“Save me? You didn’t think I had the situation handled?”

“You were in danger! Of course, I was going to do something to save you. I’m not going to let any of my friends get hurt anymore.”

Phantom shut his mouth, purposefully looking away from Shuichi. “… Friends? We’re… friends?”

“After what we’ve been through, I would hope so. Don’t… don’t _you_ think we’re friends, Phantom?”

The boy chewed on his lip and stayed silent, as if he were avoiding the question. Shuichi was about to stand up when Phantom spoke.

“Kokichi.”

“What?” Shuichi raised a brow in confusion.

“My name… it’s Kokichi.”

Shuichi smiled, holding a hand out towards his friend. “Nice to meet you, Kokichi.”

Mega Gengar shook off the tablecloth and began rushing back towards Kokichi and Shuichi. It was nearly upon them, raising one of its arms to strike them, when a dark orb of shadowy energy flew over the two boys’ heads and hit the Pokémon directly in the face. It grunted in pain, faltering and coming to a halt, but its resolve was too strong. Mega Gengar rushed forward again—

“Shadow Ball!”

Another orb hit the Gengar again and Kiyo’s Mega Banette jumped over Shuichi and Kokichi. Shuichi turned his head to see Kiyo and Kirumi were behind them, the latter still supporting the former’s trembling form, but Kiyo looked determined to fight despite his weak condition. He had one arm around Kirumi’s shoulders, while the other hand was holding Honedge’s hilt, the sword-like Pokémon allowing himself to be used a cane to support his trainer. Before Kiyo could order Banette to do another attack, Mosaic came sprinting out of nowhere and chased Mega Gengar away from Shuichi, shrieking the entire time.

After missing its targets, the Mega Aerodactyl tried to lift into the air once more, but several of the Flying Pokémon kept it grounded. Cloud blasted it in the face with a Dragonbreath; Dartrix and Tropius flung Razor Leaf after Razor Leaf at its back; Swanna attacked its wings with Bubblebeam; and Cutiefly and Togetic struck it in the side of the head with a combined Fairy Wind. Mega Aerodactyl reared up, trying to free itself from the onslaught, only to be buried under Sol, Luna, and Lumine’s Rock Slide attacks. As one final insult, Comet used Stealth Rock to keep it place should it try to get back up.

“Why do I even bother?” Junko sighed. She turned to Monokuma, “You want to jump in here at some point?”

“Would it make a difference?” he replied.

“Fair enough.”

As all four of her Mega Pokémon were defeated, Junko grew more and more irritated. Necrozma still wasn’t moving or responding to anything, and she was gradually running out of things to keep her guests occupied with while she waited for it to awaken. Once the last Mega Pokémon fell, she heaved a frustrated sigh, returned them to their Pokéballs, and directed Buzzwole and Pheromosa to get ready for a fight. Or that was the plan…

“I don’t think so!” Monokid shouted, or maybe he intended to speak normally but a “normal” level of volume for him was shouting to begin with.

When Buzzwole surged forward to join the fray, Stakataka jumped in its path and hardened its defenses. The giant Bug/Fighting-type was forced to a halt to avoid crashing into the living statue. Xurkitree latched onto Buzzwole, wrapping its cable-like limbs tightly around it, and began shocking it repeatedly. Pheromosa took advantage of its speed and avoided the trio’s scuffle, only to knocked off its feet by Blacephalon throwing its head. Once Pheromosa hit the floor, Gonta’s Pinsir and Heracross rushed in to pin it down while Keebo’s Shinx jumped onto its prone form. Keebo’s eyes brightened as he became more aware of his surroundings and ordered Shinx to unleash a Discharge attack, timing it just as Pinsir and Heracross let go.

With immense effort, Buzzwole and Pheromosa flung their attackers away. Everyone regrouped to face the two Ultra Beasts, who stared down their much-more-numerous opponents with both apprehension and agitation. Each took a single step forward before Mosaic burst from the crowd of people and Pokémon, throwing his head back and screeching.

“We have the Beast Killer,” Shuichi stated. “You have nothing. We’re going to push Necrozma back through that Ultra Wormhole, and the International Police are going to arrest you. It’s over.”

Necrozma began shifting, its large black claws tightening and curling. After witnessing the intense activity, it now appeared to be waking up. Every move it made looked unnatural, like every body part was mismatched. 

Junko smirked once she noticed Necrozma’s movement. “No, I think we’re just beginning.”

Mosaic stayed where he was: out in front of Shuichi and his friends. He was created to do this, but now he was doing it for a different reason. Junko made him to defeat Necrozma so she could capture it, but now he had the power to make his own choice. He was going to defeat Necrozma, but he was doing it to save Shuichi. This monster— he was created to destroy it. He had to destroy it. It deserved to die. He had to kill it. He had to kill it! HE HAD TO KILL IT!

Necrozma let out a shrill cry, one of its hands gripping what appeared to be its head and shuddering in apparent agony. It noticed the diamond-shaped case lying on the floor and started reaching for it.

“Himiko!” Shuichi grabbed her arm. “Can’t you do that switcheroo trick you did on Poni Island with the Z-Crystal?”

“U-um,” Himiko looked nervous. “The case is a lot bigger than a Z-Crystal. I don’t think I have enough MP.”

“Leave him alone!” Kaito demanded, readying himself to sprint forward and grab Nebby’s case.

“You idiot!” Maki grabbed him from behind and forced him to the floor.

The tip of one of Necrozma’s claws hooked the case’s handle and started lifting it, the other hand coming forward to cup itself under the case lest the creature dropped it. Nebby wasn’t making anymore sounds; the case was silent. Kaito struggled to escape Maki’s grasp, prepared to throw himself into danger just to save the beloved Pokémon he had traveled all this way for.

“Moonblast!”

A large pink orb shot over their heads and struck Necrozma. The creature dropped the case, causing it to slam to the floor. Still, Nebby didn’t make any noise. Necrozma turned its body to face Shuichi and his friends— or, rather, the new arrivals behind them. Shuichi turned to see who had ordered the attack. He had almost assumed it was either Kaede or Kirumi, since Alba and Gardevoir both knew Moonblast and the voice was clearly female, but Kaede was right beside him, and Kirumi was still supporting Kiyo. What he saw almost stole the breath from his lungs. 

A young woman with dark hair, light purple-blue eyes, and a patch of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her clothes were tattered and dirty, like she had been living in the wild for months. Her face also looked a little gaunt, like she hadn’t been eating enough. But she wasn’t the most interesting thing— something else caught his and everyone else’s attentions.

Lunala flexed her wings, glaring and hissing at Necrozma, who appeared to be very interested in her presence. Its hands reached out to her despite the distance between them. Lunala screeched in response, the loud noise apparently more deafening to Necrozma than anyone else. It recoiled, clutching its head once more.

“Big sis!” Junko squealed in faux-happiness. “I knew you wouldn’t miss my big moment!”

“Big… sis?” Shuichi scrutinized the woman’s appearance, but it was vastly different from Junko. However, he did see some resemblance in the face, sort of similar to Hajime and Izuru. Were these two really sisters?

“No,” the other woman spoke, “I wouldn’t miss your big moment, because I’m here to stop it.”

Junko crossed her arms and pouted. “You never supported me!”

“I supported you. I supported you when you began the Aether Foundation. I supported you when you built Aether Paradise. I supported you when you began research on Ultra Wormholes and the Ultra Beasts. I even supported you when you…” the woman looked like she was close to tears but pushed her emotions down. “I supported you when you created the Beast Killers. But now… I’m stopping this.”

“Hmph!” Junko huffed. “You’re not the victim here. Y’know, they say knowingly witnessing a crime and doing nothing to stop makes you just as guilty as the perpetrator.”

“I know, that’s why I’m here now. To atone.”

The woman held out her hand, silently signaling to Lunala. The two must have had a close bond because the large Pokémon knew exactly what was being asked of her. Lunala cupped her wings in front of her body, forming the largest Shadow Ball Shuichi had ever seen. It looked larger than he was. Lunala released the Shadow Ball, flinging it directly at Necrozma. The attack was incredibly powerful, nearly knocking Necrozma out of the air. The creature backed away, holding its jagged arms up to shield itself. Lunala flew closer, unleashing another Shadow Ball.

Junko started frantically trying to enter a code on the mechanism on her arm, her face clearly betraying her panic as Necrozma was repeatedly bombarded with Shadow Ball attacks. Mosaic almost looked like he was doing some sort of war dance. He was leaping and twisting in the air, whooping and crowing as Necrozma was beaten back. Shuichi couldn’t tell if he was excited by the act of fighting or by Necrozma’s imminent defeat.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” Junko shouted. “Mukuro, you flat-chested whore-slut, don’t you dare!”

Mukuro only stared forward, her eyes glazed over. She didn’t register her sister’s demands, merely watching as Lunala continued to push Necrozma back. Finally, the creature was directly in front of the Ultra Wormhole. The repeated Shadow Balls had done severe damage and Necrozma was showing signs of exhaustion. Lunala formed one last Shadow Ball, the largest one yet, and hit Necrozma directly. The creature wailed and fell back into the Ultra Wormhole, disappearing from sight.

“No!” Junko shrieked, turning to the half-circle of machines, but the machines were sparking and short-circuiting. She backed away, shocked by this sudden turn of events. One of the machines started smoking and Chihiro’s Porygon emerged from it.

“It’s over, Junko,” said Mukuro. 

“You traitor!” Junko spat.

“How dare you call me a traitor!” Mukuro shouted back. “You betrayed me! You betrayed everything this Foundation was meant to stand for!”

The Ultra Wormhole flickered now that the machines sustaining it through Nebby’s power were broken. Junko’s head snapped in its direction. She knew Necrozma was not going to come back through. Once the wormhole closed, it was over.

“You’re dead!” Monokuma reached for his Pokéballs, ready to send his Pokémon and Guzzlord into battle despite knowing they would be defeated, but he wasn’t going down without a fight.

“I don’t think so,” said a new voice.

Mukuro didn’t appear shocked by their new guests, hinting she knew they were coming. Two people stepped out from behind her, each one accompanied by a Pokémon. Shuichi gasped when he recognized both of them for different reasons. The young man, who looked more like a boy due to his youthful features, was accompanied by a Victini. He knew that was the young man he saw in the picture Peko had shown him. But the other…

Kyoko Kirigiri patted her Midnight Lycanroc, the wolf Pokémon throwing its head back and howling before leering at Junko. 

“Junko Enoshima, Monokuma, you are both under arrest for crimes against humanity and Pokémon-kind. Surrender now or we will be forced to use restrain you through more… harsh methods,” the threat was clear in Kyoko’s voice.

Junko scoffed and reposed herself. “So, you and your boy-toy think it’s finally over? You’ve stopped Necrozma, found the Type: Null, and have me cornered, but life isn’t easy. Let that be a lesson to all of you.” 

She took a purposeful step back towards the fading Ultra Wormhole. Mosaic appeared to understand what her intention was. He darted forward, not willing to let his tormentor escape. He was almost upon her when she beat him across the face with the metal pipe. She got a few hits in before he clamped down on the pipe and ripped it out of her grasp. Guzzlord grabbed Mosaic in one of its clawed tendrils and threw him across the room back towards the group.

“You might be pleased by how these events have unfolded,” said Junko, “but things are far from perfect. That thing will never be anything more than it already is.”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi exclaimed.

“He’s a Beast Killer through and through.”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Mukuro spoke up.

“The ability to sense when Ultra Beasts are coming and suffer in the intense desire to seek them out and destroy them. Nothing else matters in the mind of a monster designed solely to kill, for that is the Beast Killer’s burden.” Junko smirked, her smile sending chills down Shuichi’s spine. “He will never be what you want him to be. He’s not a Pokémon; he’s a weapon, nothing more.”

“And you’re a bitch.” Shuichi turned when he heard Junko’s voice behind him, discovering it was Tsumugi imitating her, who immediately slapped a hand over her mouth in shock.

“Maybe so,” Junko shrugged. She took another step back.

“Stop!” Kyoko ordered, her Lycanroc rushing towards Junko to prevent her from escaping.

Junko turned and jumped into the Ultra Wormhole, vanishing instantly. Monokuma returned Guzzlord to its Beast Ball and jumped in after her. The Ultra Wormhole flickered then faded completely, the rip in thin air mending itself until it was like it was never there.

It was eerily silent after the two had vanished, just a bunch of people and Pokémon surrounded by ice blocks with frozen, tortured Pokémon within them. Lunala dropped to the floor, supporting herself with her claws. Mukuro approached her, affectionately petting her head. Angie looked like she wanted to do the same thing, nearly bursting with excitement upon seeing one of the Beasts of Light. 

Mosaic returned to Shuichi, who dropped to his knees and embraced his Pokémon, Scout and Lumine joining the embrace. Finally, after eleven long days of riding in a cargo hold, exploring the Alolan Islands, and infiltrating Aether Paradise, he had all three of his Pokémon back. He should have felt overjoyed, but there was a deep dread eating him from the inside. He looked directly into Mosaic’s eyes, Junko’s words echoing in his mind. Mosaic was a Beast Killer, and did that mean he was nothing but a weapon? 

“Nebby!” Kaito sprinted across the room, sliding to a halt and snatching the case off the floor. “Sol! Luna! Get over here!”

The two Pokémon used their Gyro Ball attacks to break open the case, Kaito desperately pulling apart the broken pieces to rescue Nebby. Kyoko, her partner, and Chisa came rushing over as well. Kaito reached into the case, then paused when he realized something was wrong. He lifted his hand, a small object levitating above his palm. It wasn’t Nebby, but it looked like him in a way. 

“Nebby?” Kaito gently prodded the object. “Nebby… please.”

Kyoko’s partner knelt beside him, closely scrutinizing the object. “Hey Mukuro, do you know anything about this?”

Mukuro joined them, taking a brief glance at the object. “Considering Junko didn’t know of its existence, I took the liberty of naming it. I call it Cosmoem, a cocooned form of Cosmog, before it matures into this,” she gestured to Lunala.

“What?” Kaito gaped at her in shock, then his mouth split into a wide grin. “Nebby… Nebby’s going to turn into a Lunala?”

“That’s what the other Cosmog did,” Mukuro revealed.

“That’s why we couldn’t find it!” said Kyoko’s partner.

“Makoto,” Kyoko gently chided him. “We need to establish a new plan. Mukuro, you understand Junko more than anyone, can you think of what she’s planning to do?”

“I spent my entire life with that woman and even I can’t predict her,” Mukuro responded. “For now, she’s gone. Let’s collect ourselves and plan our next move.”

“Um,” Monotaro approached them, looking sheepish. The rest of the Monokubs and their Ultra Beasts stood behind him. “We have a proposition.”

“…Go on,” Chisa urged them.

“We’ll surrender ourselves to the International Police without any fight and tell you everything we know, if you allow us to keep our Ultra Beasts.”

“Done,” Makoto agreed. 

Nagisa was so relieved Necrozma was gone he collapsed to the floor, tightly hugging Poipole. Gradually, the rest of the group lost their adrenaline and relaxed. Kirumi lowered Kiyo to the floor, the two leaning against one another in relief. Maki joined Kaito in admiring Nebby’s new form, Kaito’s Pokémon curiously trying to get Nebby to interact with them like he did before being abducted. Shuichi was shaken from the stupor he had fallen into when Lumine left his side and happily padded up to Kyoko’s Lycanroc. The Midnight Lycanroc looked confused by his approach but suddenly became excited when it appeared to recognize Lumine.

 _Uncle Jiro said Lumine is the offspring of Kyoko Kirigiri’s Lycanroc,_ Shuichi remembered. _They look like they know each other. Was that true? Are they parent and child?_

However, his curiosity withered as everything he had experienced over the past dozen-or-so days suddenly washed over him in a torrential wave. He remembered being shrouded in darkness for two days, being attacked by Guzzlord and hiding in the crumbling lighthouse, almost drowning in the tropical storm, walking headfirst into the dangers of Aether Paradise, the vivisected Type: Null…

_How close was the chance that Type: Null could have been Mosaic? How close was the chance this all could have ended in tragedy?_

He couldn’t get the image of the dead Type: Null’s face out of his head. He looked around at the Pokémon frozen in the ice blocks. How much had they suffered at the hands of that cruel woman? How much had Nebby and Mosaic suffered? How much agony did that dead Type: Null have to endure before it finally all ended? 

He couldn’t reverse the damage, but he could try to set one thing right.

*Memorial Hill*

Angie, Makana, and Wikolia chanted softly as Shuichi, Rantaro, and Kokichi knelt beside the freshly-dug hole, lining the grave with ti leaves. Shuichi’s friends, Angie’s family, the Kahunas, Chisa, Nagisa, Kiyotaka, Mondo, and Chihiro formed a circle around the grave, each holding a flower or smaller ti leaf. The dead Type: Null was wrapped in a white cloth set off to the side of the procession. The groups’ Pokémon were also sitting at attention. They might not have understood the true meaning behind every act in the funeral (Shuichi barely understood), but they knew it was important nonetheless.

Once the grave was lined, the three women of the Kamaka family each stood on a side of the grave, continuing their chant. Keoni gently gathered the Type: Null into his arms and approached the grave. Mosaic stiffened when he saw the body in the cloth. He knew what the creature was and seemed a little distressed by its condition, but he stayed put. Keoni knelt beside the grave and lowered the body into it. One by one, each of the attendees dropped their leaf or flower into the grave, covering the white cloth with green, yellow, and red. Angie stepped forward with her ti leaf, plucked from the plant of her Rockruff’s grave. Her voice wavered slightly as she gently placed the ti leaf on the body.

Shuichi watched in solemn silence as Angie stood back up. He felt a small amount of comfort seeing that ti leaf in the grave. He remembered the luck and protection his leaf had granted him and was consoled by the thought of Angie’s Rockruff guiding the spirit of the Type: Null to rest. The chant changed in tone as each attendee knelt (Tsumugi, Keebo, and Kiyo needed some help) and threw a handful of dirt into the grave. Once each of them had thrown their dirt, Kaito and Maki grabbed the two shovels and started filling the grave. Slowly, the white cloth was covered in dirt, finally put to rest.

“We sing to comfort this tortured spirit,” Keoni chanted. “We sing to guide it away from this physical realm. We sing for Tapu Lele to lift this spirit into her arms and carry it to a peaceful afterlife.”

Finally, the hole was filled, a new ti plant rooted on top of it, and the ceremony was over. The chanting wavered and faded, and they were all left to contemplate in silence. Well, not total silence. A gentle breeze blew inland from the ocean, rustling the trees and ti plants as if the island were trying to sing. Shuichi stared at the grave and its tombstone, carved by Keoni when Angie begged him to. The Kamaka family members were overjoyed when Shuichi and his friends returned to Konikoni City, but their elation disappeared once it was revealed what the travelers endured. They had spent the night at the Kamaka family’s home, then woke up early this morning to bury the Type: Null. Shuichi and his friends were leaving today to return to the mainland.

But Shuichi couldn’t find any joy in that. In fact, he couldn’t feel anything anymore.

“That was beautiful.”

The attendees turned to see Makoto and Kyoko were standing nearby. The two had respectfully observed the funeral in silence, but now that the ceremony was over, they approached the group to discuss what needed to be said.

“I believe you are leaving the islands today?” said Kyoko.

“Yeah,” Rantaro mumbled in response.

“Then it’s best we take care of this now.” She pulled a Pokéball out of her pocket and offered it to Shuichi. “Could you capture the Type: Null in this Pokéball and then surrender it to me?”

“What!?” Shuichi squawked, dropping the Pokéball.

“The Type: Null clearly trusts you, so I felt it would be easier for you to capture it since it will mostly likely fight back against me,” Kyoko explained, picking up the item. “This is the least stressful method. Oh, and we will need the Cosmog as well.”

“Least stressful for who!?” Shuichi slapped the Pokéball out of her hand, eliciting a sigh of annoyance from her. “I refuse to do what you’re asking!”

“Fine,” she picked up the Pokéball again and pulled out one of her own. “If that’s how you feel, then I will capture it myself.”

“Stop!” Shuichi grabbed her by both of her wrists. “Why are you doing this!?”

“Type: Null must be neutralized. I can’t allow you to take it with you. It is a dangerous weapon that is completely unpredictable. I’m sorry, but this is how it must be.”

“You’re not sorry,” Shuichi growled. Mosaic, Lumine, and Scout all began to stalk toward Kyoko, clearly sensing their trainer’s distress.

“Do not make me arrest you for obstruction,” she threatened, pulling her arms free.

“Fuck you.” 

Shuichi turned in shock to see Kaede was now standing beside him, her hands clenched into trembling fists. She had been the one who spat the expletive at Kyoko. Shuichi couldn’t help but wilt under the intense aura Kaede was emanating.

“Fuck you!” Kaede repeated, violently shoving Kyoko away. The latter stared at her in astonishment. She was likely used to being cursed at but had believed this wasn’t a situation that warranted such language.

“No fighting!” Wikolia interjected. “We can’t fight on sacred ground!”

“Do you have any idea what we’ve been through?” Kaede hissed at Kyoko. “What we’ve suffered through? What Shuichi and Kaito have subjected themselves to just to find their Pokémon!? No! So, fuck you for thinking you can just take their Pokémon away! We won’t let you!”

Kaito tightly gripped the strap of Shuichi’s messenger bag. Shuichi had loaned it to him, so he could hide Nebby inside of it. Maki recognized Kaito was beginning to stress and positioned herself beside him, so they surrounded the messenger bag. Kyoko recovered from her shock, reassuming her professional attitude.

“I must insist you stand down.”

“Kyoko,” Makoto placed a hand on her shoulder, “remember what we talked about? About being more sympathetic? Look, they’re all exhausted and probably traumatized. How about we let Shuichi and Kaito take the Type: Null and Cosmog if they agree to come to the Bureau branch in Litra? After they recover a little. You guys can agree to that, right?”

“Yeah,” Kaito replied, still tightly clutching the strap of the bag. “We could do that. That’s reasonable.”

“Fine,” Kyoko pocketed her Pokéball and handed the empty one to Shuichi. “But I insist you capture it before arriving to the mainland. If it loses control of itself, you need to be able to contain it.”

With that, she turned and walked away, Makoto offering a weak smile before following her. Chisa grimaced, sadly shaking her head and offering Shuichi a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before taking her leave. She set off a chain reaction as the others began to exit the cemetery in a trickle. No one said anything. There wasn’t anything worth discussing anymore.

“Are you okay?” Kaede asked Shuichi.

“I’m… I’m not sure anymore,” he responded, pocketing the empty Pokéball. “Can… can I be left alone for a little bit?”

She nodded and respectfully left Memorial Hill, leaving Shuichi with his Pokémon. With a tired exhale, he faced the grave, reading the words on the tombstone without registering their meaning. When he first came to the islands, he was somewhat excited for this adventure, to embrace the culture and his new experiences. But not anymore. He was tired and felt like he wasn’t walking away from this with any positive experience. He knew it was there though; it would be foolish to believe there was no bright side to his adventure. He learned how to be more confrontational and sure of himself, how to fight with his Pokémon in an actual battle, even how to use his new Z-Ring and the Z-Crystals. But all he could think about was the trauma. 

Wikolia said _alola_ meant more than “hello” and “goodbye.” She said it was the spirit of the land; an expression of countless emotions. He didn’t know what he was feeling anymore, so maybe _alola_ could describe it. He felt a great pain in his chest— he knew that was grief and sorrow, but he couldn’t express it no matter how hard he tried. Did he understand _alola_? Did he need to in order to experience it?

“ _Alola_ ,” Shuichi murmured, gently tracing the carved letters of the tombstone before walking away, Lumine, Scout, and Mosaic by his side.

_Here Lies the Synthetic Pokémon  
You Deserved Better_

**End of Part 2**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of Part 2. Part 3 will start out a little slow, sort of like how Part 1 was, but then will pick up quickly for the climax. I'd like to thank all my readers who have stuck by this story up till this point. Given this is a crossover and not strong in romance or shipping, it's understandable that this story isn't as popular as others. However, I know I have readers who are genuinely enjoying it and seeing your comments makes it worthwhile.
> 
> Just a note: Makoto looks like his older Danganronpa 3 Side: Future design, since he and Kyoko are supposed to be about 25 years-old here.


	19. Hurry Up! The World is Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After wallowing in a depressive state, Shuichi is finally ready to face the world again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmoem (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 3: The Blinding One

### 

Chapter 19: Hurry Up! The World is Waiting

“Shuichi?” Jiro lightly rapped his knuckles on his nephew’s bedroom door. He didn’t wait for a response before entering— he didn’t expect one to begin with.

Shuichi was lying on top of his blankets, curled on his side facing the wall. He didn’t acknowledge his uncle entering the room, but Mosaic did. The creature had been sitting beside Shuichi’s bed, but stood on all-fours so he could keep an eye on Jiro. Jiro wasn’t completely comfortable around Mosaic yet, but he was trying to make an effort to be understanding towards his nephew’s new Pokémon. It had been quite the shock to pick Shuichi up from the marina and find him accompanied by Mosaic, a Vaporeon, and a Midday Lycanroc. He had tried to congratulate Shuichi on evolving Scout and Lumine, but the young man just mindlessly walked past him, climbing into the car without speaking. 

“C’mon,” Jiro sat on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on his nephew’s shoulder, making sure he moved slowly so Mosaic wouldn’t react with hostility. “Shuichi, it’s been almost three weeks now. Please, talk to me. Talk to anyone! You can’t keep bottling this up.”

Shuichi didn’t reply. Jiro sighed, looking to Mosaic for some sort of help. Mosaic gently clacked his beak-like mouth and made a motion with his neck simulating shrugging. Lumine and Scout had dutifully guarded Shuichi bed for the first week after arriving home, but then gradually drifted away. They realized this wasn’t like the other instances of Shuichi’s anxiety overwhelming him into a depressive state; this was something more, something they couldn’t help with. Only Mosaic remained on guard, never leaving Shuichi’s side except for food, drink, and bodily functions. 

“Your friends miss you,” Jiro tried tempting Shuichi. “They keep asking how you’re doing. Don’t you want to hang out with them?”

Shuichi continued staring blankly at the wall.

“Don’t you want to come back to the agency? Jun and everyone want to hear about your adventure.”

Nothing.

“We’ve been getting calls from the International Police. One of their agents keeps wanting to speak with you.”

Still nothing.

Jiro sighed again and stood up. “I’m not giving up on you. I haven’t in the past and I’m not starting now.”

Shuichi’s head moved the slightest bit as his uncle left his bedroom, closing the door behind him. Shuichi wanted to get up, he wanted to go downstairs and eat meals with his family, but it felt like gravity was pressing the life out of him. He hadn’t spoken for three weeks, he barely moved from his bed, and he was losing weight from the minimal amount he was eating. He wanted to move past this, but he couldn’t.

*Konikoni City: Three Weeks Ago*

Kaede lugged a bag in each hand down to the docks, taking a moment to inhale the delicious scents coming from the restaurant. She handed the bags to Mondo, who effortlessly tossed them onto the deck of Rantaro’s boat. Yuta, Rantaro, and Kiyotaka were sorting the pile of bags and storing them wherever they would fit on the boat. There would be three more passengers on this trip than on the one coming here, so they needed to make sure there was enough room for the two-day sail.

“Helloooo!” someone called across the water.

Those at the dock raised their heads to see a yacht, larger and more extravagant than even Rantaro’s boat, was approaching the dock. A man with bright pink hair was waving at them from behind the controls. They halted their actions and watched in bemusement as the yacht docked and the man jumped down from the deck.

“Hey Mondo, hey Taka,” the man greeted.

“Greetings Kazuichi,” Kiyotaka replied. “So, you received Chihiro’s message to come here instead of Hau'oli City?”

“That’s right. I’m here to pick up your wayward wanderers.”

“You mean us?” Kaede asked.

“Are you friends with Shuichi?”

“Yes.”

“Then yes.”

Kazuichi went onto explain Chihiro had contacted a friend of theirs, Chiaki, who asked him to sail the Kuzuryu Clan’s yacht to the islands to pick up Shuichi, but when Shuichi reunited with his friends and left Melemele Island, the plan had changed for him to come to Konikoni City and take half of the group of friends, so they wouldn’t be crowded on Rantaro’s boat. Kaede had met one of the clan members, a young man with wispy white hair, when Jiro had called her and the others to the dock. The young man had been the one who revealed what happened to Shuichi and Kaito at the docks and was the instigator of them following their friends to Alola. She had seen him leave the docks with another young man with spiky brown hair, but no other clan members had been around. Either they fled before the police got there, or they weren’t there in the first place.

So, despite this man’s strange appearance, with his bright pink hair and sharp teeth, she felt a little more comfortable knowing he was a Kuzuryu Clan member. If Shuichi felt he could trust them, then she decided she could as well. Besides, all he was doing was offering them a ride back to the mainland. Even if he had sinister intentions, there was only one of him and they could easily overpower him, but she tried to suppress those thoughts. The entire world wasn’t out to get them, she had to trust people. 

They decided to move Kiyo, Tsumugi, and Keebo’s belongings to the yacht since they were still reeling from being poisoned. There was more space on the yacht and it was stocked with supplies that were beneficial for them. Using similar thinking, they also moved Miu and Kirumi’s belongings to the yacht, so they could be with their brother and boyfriend respectively. They also moved Gonta’s things, so he would also have more room. After that, it was decided whoever came down to the docks and expressed a desire to ride in the yacht could move their belongings.

“So… um…” Kaede approached Kazuichi. “You’re a member of the Kuzuryu Clan?”

“That’s right. Kazuichi Soda, at your service. I never got to officially meet Shuichi whenever he was at the complex, but I’ve seen him around. There’s quite a few of us he hasn’t officially met, but hopefully that’ll change.”

“Um… it might be a while,” Kaede admitted. “Shuichi’s… not exactly in a good place right now.”

The rhythmic noise of footsteps against the wood of the dock drew their attention. Several of Kaede’s friends were coming down to the boats with the last of their belongings, pausing to stare at both Kazuichi and the yacht. Makoto was also with them; however, he didn’t freeze at the odd sight of the stranger and boat, most likely because he was used to it. 

“Where’s _Detective Kirigiri_?” Kaede spat. After their confrontation at Memorial Hill, Kaede decided she was not a fan of the world-renowned detective. She knew Shuichi saw her as his role model and couldn’t help but wonder if he had abandoned those thoughts after she threatened to take Mosaic away from him. Personally, Kaede felt Kyoko didn’t deserve to have admirers if that was how she treated people who had just experienced the worst trauma of their lives.

“She and I felt it was best she not see you off,” Makoto replied, offering a sympathetic smile.

“What about the other woman? The one with Lunala?”

“Mukuro? Honestly, I don’t know where she went. She’s been living in the hinterlands since— I think— March. I think she got used to being without human contact. It might have been too overwhelming to be around all of us.”

“March!? It’s the end of September!”

Kiyo came limping past them, Kirumi right beside him to support him should he stumble. Most of the poison had been flushed from his system after a rough night of drastically shifting body temperatures and fever. He somehow looked worse than he did yesterday, his hair tangled and greasy-looking and dark bags under his eyes. Keebo and Tsumugi were of similar condition. It was likely none of them slept at all last night. Hopefully, the rocking of the boat would soothe them to sleep.

Angie was the last to come to the docks, escorted by her family so they could bid her farewell. Shuichi’s friends didn’t know when, if ever, they were going to return to the islands, so this was probably the last time she was going to see them for a long time. Weary feet climbed the ladders into the two boats, some of them almost collapsing as soon as they were onboard. Kokichi seemed to have a bottomless supply of energy as he ran back and forth on the lower deck of Rantaro’s boat, probably reveling in the fact he didn’t have to spend the next two days in a cargo hold.

“We’ll miss you, Leilani,” Wikolia hugged her daughter tightly. “Sorry your visit couldn’t have been more pleasant.”

“The next one will be better,” Angie promised.

Kaede climbed up to the Kuzuryu boat but didn’t see Shuichi there. She knew he was in a bad way and wanted to make sure he was going to be alright. She descended the ladder and climbed onto Rantaro’s boat instead, spotting him immediately. He was sitting on the lower deck, back leaned against the barrier wall. Scout was in his lap, trying to urge Shuichi to pet him… or to react in any way. Lumine was sprawled on the deck beside him, but Mosaic was standing guard on his other side. He scrutinized anyone who came too close, snapping his beak-like mouth when Kokichi bounded close enough he almost stepped on Shuichi’s outstretched leg. Shuichi was fidgeting with the Pokéball Kyoko had given him to capture Mosaic in.

“Shuichi?” Kaede approached him and knelt to the deck, slowly reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“…I never thought I’d meet Detective Kirigiri. I imagined how it would go… and that wasn’t it.”

“Well, you know what they say: ‘never meet your heroes,’” she chuckled, trying to find the humor in the situation.

“I suppose that’s true.”

“Makoto seems nice. At least he’s more understanding. Kirigiri acts like she’s on the job constantly. He’s her partner; I don’t know how he puts up with her.”

Shuichi just sort of listlessly bobbed his head, still playing with the Pokéball. “I don’t want to capture him. He doesn’t deserve to be locked up.”

“A Pokéball isn’t the same thing as a cage, and besides, you love Mosaic. You’re nothing like Junko! You won’t keep him locked away. He’d be happy to be your Pokémon.”

Shuichi turned to look at Mosaic, who stared back without a hint of malice towards him. With a sigh, Shuichi held up the Pokéball toward him, Mosaic dipping his head to investigate the object. He recognized it from Shuichi and Keebo’s visits with their Pokémon but didn’t appear to understand what Shuichi was hinting towards.

“He probably doesn’t know how it works,” Maki commented, joining the two of them. She pulled out one her own Pokéballs and released her Pawniard before returning him once more. Mosaic’s small ears swiveled in curiosity as he watched what was, from his point of view, a magic trick.

“Mosaic,” Shuichi held up the Pokéball again, “if you go inside this Pokéball, it would mean you’re my Pokémon. No one could take you away from me again.”

The Type: Null appeared to understand when his ears stood up straight. He bumped the small button with his nose and the Pokéball opened, converting him into data and pulling him into the computerscape inside. Shuichi stared wide-eyed at the Pokéball once it shut, almost as if he couldn’t believe what happened.

“See?” Kaede shook Shuichi’s shoulder enthusiastically. “He loves you back! He wouldn’t have willingly gone into the Pokéball if he didn’t want to be partners with you.”

“Now we just gotta make sure that bitch tornado doesn’t steal it before we leave,” said Kokichi, sliding to a halt.

Maki nodded in agreement, prompting Kokichi to stare at her in shock. “We should be setting off soon. Makoto said he and Kyoko agreed she shouldn’t come down here.”

Shuichi released Mosaic from his new Pokéball, the Type: Null giving his mane a firm shake. On that note, was he still technically a Type: Null? The information in the computer said the Beast Killers were renamed Type: Null because they were unstable and unusable, but Mosaic wasn’t unstable. He had broken his helmet and fended off Necrozma without going mad. He was still sitting here on the open deck, a little protective of Shuichi, but not hostile towards his friends. 

“I don’t like it,” Shuichi spoke.

“I know a boat in the middle of the ocean is probably the last place you want to be, but we need to get home,” said Kaede.

“No, not that. I don’t like calling Mosaic a Type: Null. He’s not nothing. It’s a cruel name _she_ gave them, the creatures she created solely to torture.”

“There’s only two of them now,” said Kokichi, “and you own one of them. If they don’t have official names, doesn’t that give you the right to name this new species?”

“Two does not make a species,” Maki remarked.

“Can you go be a killjoy somewhere else?” Kokichi spat back at her.

 _I get to name a Pokémon species?_ Never in his life had he ever thought he would have this chance. Only scientists and explorers usually got to name newly-discovered Pokémon species. He was a detective-in-training who rarely left his home city; something like this could have happened to Rantaro or Kiyo on one of their adventures, but not him. Now how would he go about doing this? Pokémon names were sometimes obvious, and other times not so much.

“What’s going on?” Kaito asked, walking up to them. He was still tightly gripping the strap of Shuichi’s messenger bag. Shuichi glanced at Mosaic to see if he could sense Nebby was inside the bag. If what Kaito had said about Cosmog being an Ultra Beast was true, then Mosaic should behave aggressively towards Nebby.

“We’re renaming Mosaic’s species,” Kaede answered. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Hmm,” he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Well… Solrock and Lunatone are easy to figure out. ‘Sol’ means ‘sun’ and ‘luna’ means ‘moon;’ you just combine both with ‘rock’ and ‘stone’. Minior is also easy because they’re ‘mini meteors’— well, technically meteorites since meteorites are the portion of meteors that make it through the atmosphere—”

“Ah-ah! No! Shut it! Shut!” Kokichi interrupted him. “No one wants to hear it, starboy!”

Kaito crossed his arms and glared at Kokichi, while Kaede nervously chucked and attempted to lessen the tension. “I guess baby Miniors could be called ‘Miniorites?’”

“He’s not little,” Shuichi stated, “nor does he look like anything in particular.”

“Name him after one of the islands,” Kaito suggested. “’Kalabeast!’”

“Wow, that is stupid,” Kokichi snickered, drawing Kaito’s ire again.

The two devolved in petty arguing while Shuichi looked Mosaic over. He started absentmindedly petting Scout, thinking about the species names of his other two Pokémon. He wished he understood the thought process of the ones who had named species in the past. The last thing he wanted to do was give Mosaic’s species a dumb name. If that happened, people might remember his kind as Beast Killer, instead of something else.

“When I first named him, I thought about calling him Chimera,” Shuichi revealed. 

“Too easy,” Kokichi shot that idea down. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t piss it away.”

“Maybe we should ask Kiyo,” Kaede proposed, but stopped when she saw Rantaro and Kazuichi were undoing their moors. 

After twelve days off the mainland, ten days on the Alolan Islands, it was finally time to leave. It was amazing how much had happened in those ten days. She didn’t feel the same anymore, and she figured everyone else thought that as well. They all did a lot of growing up during this adventure; it almost seemed silly and boring to have to return to their old lives. Would Kiyo be happy sitting at his desk in the museum after seeing the ancient ruins of Alola in-person? Would Maki be alright with babysitting Pokémon at the Daycare after experiencing the exhilaration of one-on-one competitive battling? There were a couple she could foresee settling back into their lives: Gonta would be happy to be with the Pokémon in the Breeding Center again, and Rantaro’s life was already one long, endless adventure.

Chisa, Makoto, Kiyotaka, Mondo, Chihiro, Angie’s family, and the Kahunas crowded near the edge of the dock. Shuichi struggled to his feet to at least bid them farewell. He felt a sad sort of emptiness in leaving them behind. Sure, Chisa had lied to him and Mondo had swung a sledgehammer at him, but he had no harsh feelings toward them. Chisa just wanted to protect him and his friends, and Mondo thought he was attacking Chihiro. Some of his friends were a little more enthusiastic in their farewell. Angie took off her mustard-yellow jacket and waved it like a flag. Gonta was shouting “goodbye” at the top of his lungs, like he was worried they wouldn’t be able to hear him. Tenko had jumped onto the barrier railing and balanced there, waving her arms frenziedly.

All Shuichi could do was sluggishly wave a hand. Even Tsumugi, Keebo, and Kiyo had more passion, and they were still half-delirious. He glanced past the dock, looking toward the decorative arch marking the boundary line of Konikoni City. Even from the distance, he could see Kyoko Kirigiri watching as the two boats departed. Did she care about them? Did she care about what they had been through? Or was the only thing that mattered was taking Nebby and Mosaic away? He felt betrayed, but also knew his feelings were coming from a point of view of a victim. What she had said was true: Mosaic was a weapon and very little was known about Nebby. It made sense she would want to isolate the two. The logical, detective part of him knew that was safest option, but the emotional part of him wanted to hold both close and not let anything harm them ever again. 

And that included Detective Kirigiri.

“ _Alola oukou_!” Rantaro called from the top deck as he swung the boat away from the dock.

“ _A hui kaua_!” Angie added, stilling fluttering her jacket.

“ _E malama pono_!” Keoni hollered back.

Shuichi couldn’t understand any of what was being said, but something in the way the words were being spoken told him there was love and well-wishes being expressed. In a way, they were all taking a piece of Alola and the Alolan spirit home with them, and it wasn’t in the clothes or their Z-Crystals.

The land steadily grew smaller, but the crowd of their new friends didn’t dissipate until it was too far away to tell if they were still there. Shuichi believed they would stand there until the boats were no longer visible. He was amazed he was still standing against the barrier for as long as he did, desperately trying to make out any distinguishable shapes of the island. He compared it to a child’s first trip to summer camp. Sure, they were scared and homesick the first couple of days, but, as they got used to it, they disliked leaving when it was time to go home. He _wanted_ to go home— it was time— but there was so much he didn’t know, and the islands held the answers.

“He’s silver,” at the sound of Kokichi’s voice, Shuichi turned away from the barrier. The smaller boy was gripping Mosaic’s ears, and, for a split second, Shuichi feared he was about to be mauled. However, Mosaic looked annoyed but not hostile.

“Oh good, you’re not colorblind,” Maki quipped harshly. 

“He’s more silver-colored than Silver is. Silver’s white!”

“And?” Shuichi sighed.

“It’s a distinguishing feature,” Kokichi explained. 

“Silver friend,” Shuichi mumbled to himself, trying to mentally find a way to run the two words together. ‘Beast Killer’ was such a savage and frightening title, so he wanted Mosaic’s new species name to be something more comforting.

“Silvend,” said Kaede.

“That sounds like ‘sylvan,’” Kaito remarked, “and doesn’t that mean ‘tree?’”

“Silvally,” Shuichi announced. “Silver ally, because he’s not just my friend, he’s everyone’s ally.”

“That’s corny,” Kokichi proclaimed, but he didn’t object to the name, hinting he approved.

It was a simple change and maybe, to someone else, it wouldn’t matter that much, but to Shuichi changing Mosaic from a Type: Null to a Silvally meant he was tossing away part of his tragic past. He was getting rid of the cruel name Junko and the Aether Foundation gave him and taking a new one for himself. 

“You’re not a Type: Null anymore,” Shuichi ran a hand over Mosaic’s crest, “because you’re not nothing. You’re a Silvally.”

He should have felt better, but he didn’t. He felt tired— exhausted even. It was like he had spent the past twelve days in a constant adrenaline rush, and now that it was over he was left a shaking, fatigued mess of woe-is-me. Everything was rushing back to him in an instant. The fear of not knowing what would be on the other side of the cargo hold door after two days in darkness; being attacked by Guzzlord and hiding in the lighthouse; his impulsive decision to sail through a tropical storm and almost drown; finding the vivisected Type: Null, not knowing at the time if it was Mosaic or not; confronting Junko and all her atrocities; and, finally, seeing Necrozma, the Blinding One, the Pillager of Light, claw its way into their world and realize it wasn’t just a story. This was real, and everything was at stake. If Necrozma came back, it could take everything from them and plunge their world into chaos, like Junko wanted. Would they be able fight back? Would they be able to survive if they failed?

He swallowed his voice deep into his throat and didn’t speak again.

*

“C’mon sidekick, let’s get this day started!”

Kaito barged into Shuichi’s bedroom, his sudden appearance spooking Mosaic so badly the Silvally almost launched himself to tackle the supposed intruders. Kaito was accompanied by both Kaede and Maki, who entered through the door with more self-control. Kaito had a backpack on, but it looked oddly deflated, like there weren’t many objects being carried inside of it. Shuichi turned his head enough to acknowledge his friends, but Kaito must have mistook the action to indicate Shuichi was no longer in his depressive state.

“That’s the spirit!” Kaito cheered, slinging his backpack off his shoulders. “I knew you’d snap out of it! Jiro sounded desperate when he called us, but I knew he was overreacting.”

“I heard that!” Jiro shouted from downstairs.

“Kaito,” Maki said firmly, grabbing his arm. With her forcing him to calm down, Kaito realized Shuichi wasn’t responding after the initial movement of his head.

“Shuichi?” Kaede sat on the edge of his bed. “Your uncle called us because he’s worried about you. He didn’t want us coming over initially because he thought he could motivate you to leave the house to see us, but…”

“What’s running through that anxious little head of yours?” Kaito tried to tap Shuichi’s temple, but Kaede slapped his hand away.

“Shuichi, I know you’re in a bad place right now, but you need to snap out of it. Now, I’m not being insensitive to your feelings, I just want what’s best for you—so do your aunt and uncle. You need to talk to someone, someone… professional.”

More than anything, Shuichi wanted to agree. He did… mentally. He needed help to get out of this deep funk he was in. His uncle and his friends weren’t emotionally equipped to handle a depressive episode of this degree. He needed to see a therapist. He used to see one when he first came to live with his aunt and uncle to determine how bad his anxiety was, since his parents never bothered to have it checked. But that therapist worked specifically with children; he needed to see one who treats adults.

“Shuichi,” Kaede gently shook his shoulder, “do you want to get better? You’re not so far gone you’ve given up, right?”

Shuichi flicked his gaze toward her, hoping he was conveying his affirmation through his expression.

“Does anyone know a therapist?” Maki asked.

“Ryoma has a sports therapist, but that’s more for stress, not depression,” Kaito answered.

“Don’t worry,” Kaede reassured Shuichi, who still didn’t have the will to respond. “We’ll find someone. We’ll try to get some references.”

“This is going to be the weirdest information-gathering I’ve had to do,” Kaito commented.

 _…Information-gathering,_ Kaede thought to herself. Suddenly, she had an idea of exactly who to talk with.

*

Jiro nursed a cup of tea, idly tapping his fingers against the porcelain cup. Scout and Shadow were sitting on the tabletop near him, the former lying as motionless as his trainer upstairs. Jiro was running out of ideas of stirring his nephew back to life after Shuichi’s friends had failed to rouse him yesterday. He needed to start looking for professional help. Maybe he should have considered the option after the first week, but he had become used to Shuichi’s episodes and relied on advice the child psychiatrist had provided years ago, which usually worked. This was different though.

The doorbell ringing startled him and he jolted his cup, causing some tea to spill on the tabletop. Fang, Blazer, and Lumine all jumped to their feet and darted for the door. When Shuichi had episodes in the past, the family’s Pokémon tended to become protective of the house. Jiro nudged them aside with his leg and cracked the door open to see who was there. He nearly choked on his own breath when he saw two individuals he hadn’t expected.

“Hello Mister Saihara,” Nagito greeted him politely. “May we come in?”

“What are you doing here?” Jiro growled, his harsh tone prompting Fang to stick his snout through the crack in the door and bare his teeth.

“There’s no need for that,” Hajime chided. “Kaede came to the Kuzuryu Compound asking for us. From what we’ve gathered, Shuichi needs help?”

“And you think I need the help of the yakuza to support him?” Jiro snapped.

“If it’s as bad as she implied it is, I would hope you’d take all the help you could get,” Nagito replied. 

Jiro sighed in frustration before forcibly pushing Fang back and opening the door all the way. Lumine bounded out the door to sniff the couple, having recognized them. Nagito looked delighted to see the Rockruff had evolved and happily buried his fingers in Lumine’s mane. Upon hearing Nagito’s voice, Scout sprang to life and jumped off the table to rush to the front door, further exciting the yakuza member when he saw the Vaporeon. Hajime left Nagito on the doorstep and entered the house, politely removing his shoes and hanging up his jacket. He could sense the hostility coming from Jiro, and the last thing he wanted to do was cause an incident.

“Shuichi grew up here?” he asked, trying to make idle conversation.

“He came to live with us when he was seven,” Jiro’s tone still harsh.

“Now look,” Hajime turned on him, annoyance evident in his voice, “you have every right to be wary given our line of business, but there’s no doubt we are friends of Shuichi and only want what’s best for him.”

“My nephew’s _friends_ went to high school with him,” Jiro snapped, “and they don’t have criminal records. Well, the new one might, but I haven’t met him face-to-face yet.”

“We haven’t been arrested either!” Nagito argued, having stopped admiring Lumine and Scout and entered the house.

“You’re not helping,” Hajime whispered to him.

“Why should I allow you to see my nephew?” Jiro crossed his arms, firmly planting his stance in front of the stairs to prevent them from getting past.

“Because we can help,” Nagito insisted. “Shuichi’s in a depressive state, right? That’s what Kaede said, and she also said he’s not snapping out of it. You’ve done all you can, now you need to rely on someone else to help.”

Nagito reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a business card, holding it out to Jiro. The latter had to leave his position in front of the stairs to take it. The card appeared to be printed on ivory cardstock and had an eloquent but humble font.

“’Miaya Gekkogahara,’” Jiro read from the card. “You think she could help Shuichi?”

“She helped me,” Nagito replied. “Trust me, she’s wonderful; I’ve been seeing her for years. I used to be a basket case.”

“Who said you ever stopped being one?” Hajime teased, prompting a small whine from Nagito. “That aside, she is very good at her job. Kaede was desperate when she came to the compound. Mister Saihara, if you have trust and faith in Shuichi’s friends, especially Kaede, then don’t you think you should have some confidence in her choice to trust us?”

Jiro’s jaw visibly tightened as he looked back-and-forth between the card in his hands and the two yakuza members in his house. He still didn’t trust them, but they were offering him the answer to his problem. Hajime’s words also rang in his head: Kaede trusted them, so maybe he shouldn’t turn away their kind offer.

“Fine,” he relented, handing Nagito back the card.

The two moved past Jiro and ascended the stairs. There was a cozy, lived-in atmosphere to the house, Nagito admiring some of the pictures hanging in the stairwell. There was a family portrait of Shuichi with his aunt and uncle, and a couple frames with multiple photos of the family at the park, celebratory parties, and a specific frame full of pictures of Shuichi with his friends and Pokémon. 

“No pictures of his parents,” Nagito noted. “Why do you think that is?”

“Maybe they’re dead?” Hajime guessed.

“But just because they’re dead means they deserve to be forgotten? That doesn’t seem right.”

“Maybe they’re not worth remembering? Shuichi has issues, maybe his parents were responsible for them.”

“You can have a stable home-life and still have issues!” Nagito argued.

“Yes-yes, everyone has issues,” Hajime tried to soothe him before they entered Shuichi’s room. If the boy was in a depressive state, it was probably best not to be agitated if they were trying to comfort him. 

The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and while Hajime was cautious about entering what was considered Shuichi’s safe-space, Nagito happily marched right in without a care in the world. He froze when he saw Mosaic standing guard, the Silvally staring at him with an intense gaze. Mosaic hadn’t met Nagito in-person but had heard his voice through the vent in the door at the warehouse occasionally. However, when Hajime entered the room, Mosaic was no longer on guard: he was attacking.

Hajime gasped when the large, silver shape darted toward him, a shrill snarl leaving Mosaic’s mouth. The Silvally obviously remembered him from the night he was moved to the Kuzuryu Compound. Unfortunately, he remembered Hajime as a tormentor. Mosaic was almost upon him, his talons reaching out, ready to grasp and tear—

“No!” Shuichi shot up his bed and rounded on Mosaic. “No! We don’t hurt our friends!”

Mosaic tensed, slowly lowering his front leg that had threatened to rip out Hajime’s guts. The Silvally heaved a sigh and returned to his post, glaring threateningly at Hajime. 

“So that’s what he looks like,” Nagito murmured.

“Thanks,” Hajime said to Shuichi. “If I had known he was up here, I wouldn’t have come in.”

It was almost like the burst of energy had been all Shuichi had. He was still sitting upright, but now he slumped like every muscle had given out, his lolling head tilted towards the floor. Nagito waved his head in front of Shuichi’s face, trying to stir him back to life.

“This _is_ bad,” Hajime remarked. “Shuichi, Kaede came to us and begged for our help. She’s very worried about you, and that means we are too. What happened in Alola?”

Shuichi shook his head back-and-forth lethargically. Nagito gripped him by the shoulders and tried to force him to sit up straight, lecturing him about posture and future spinal problems if he continues slouching. Hajime gently extricated his boyfriend’s hands from Shuichi and sat on the bedspread next to the young detective.

“I don’t know what you experienced that made you fall like this,” said Hajime, “but it must have been traumatizing. You can’t bottle that up; it’ll only tear you apart and drag you deeper into depression. Your friends and family have been reaching out to you for weeks and you’re so far gone you can’t even speak. You need help.”

Nagito reached into his pocket and pulled out the business card again, placing it in Shuichi’s hand. Shuichi almost let it fall from his limp grasp, but he persevered through the haze and managed to grip it tightly enough it didn’t slip through his fingers and take with it his only chance of fighting his way out. His grip steadily became stronger, and soon, he was clutching the card like his life depended on it.

“Doctor Gekkogahara is my therapist,” Nagito explained. “I know she’ll be able to help you. She helped me; without her counseling, I would have killed myself years ago— and that’s really important to think about. I wouldn’t have the life I have now if I had gone through with it, but, at the time, I didn’t care about the future. Right now, you don’t care about the future; you don’t care about what next week could bring, or even next month or next year. By then, you’ll be a different person than you were before, but you can’t reach the next stepping stone if you stay trapped in your head.”

“What Nagito’s trying to say,” Hajime jumped in, “is you’re not thinking about the future right now. You’re stuck in the present. Everyone is trying to help you move on from this, so you can embrace the future, but you need to try too. You have to _want_ to get better. Do you want that?”

Shuichi stared at the business card, reading the words without them registering, just like the words on the Type: Null’s tombstone. Even if he couldn’t comprehend what was written, he didn’t need to. He could _feel_ what this card represented. This card was hope: hope that he could rise up from his despair, hope that he could venture into the world again, hope that he could face the future with his friends and not be afraid of the mysteries it held.

With immense effort, Shuichi nodded his head.

“There we go,” Nagito beamed at him. “That’s the hope I saw inside you when we met. The strength to keep going.”

“We have one more card for you,” Hajime revealed, pulling a fancy envelope from his own pocket.

Shuichi managed to muster a little energy to receive the card but couldn’t bring himself to open it just yet. He stared at the silver font on the envelope cheerily telling him he was invited to a special occasion.

“We’re getting married!” Nagito excitedly told him, the wispy-haired man nearly bouncing with excitement. 

“Nagito wanted to give this to you after you saved Joy,” Hajime explained. “He thought the money wasn’t enough to express his gratitude, but we didn’t know you that well at the time. We also thought it probably wouldn’t be appropriate, or safe, to invite a detective to a wedding full of yakuza guests. He kept insisting after you turned in your favor and we became more familiar with each other, then you were whisked away to Alola, so… better late than never, right?”

Shuichi traced the cursive font with one finger, his lips silently mouthing the words “You’re Invited!” on the envelope. Nagito must have taken a shine to him the instant they met if he wanted to give someone who was basically still a stranger an invitation to his wedding, but they weren’t strangers anymore. His friends were inviting him to attend their wedding.

And he was determined to be there.

*

Jiro had assumed Nagito and Hajime were the last visitors he was going to allow in the house for the day. He was shocked when the doorbell rang, causing a stampede of dog-like Pokémon from one end of the house to the other. Once again, he had to forcibly shove them out of the way to crack the door open and see who was there. A young man with spiky brown hair, who _looked_ to be younger than Shuichi but carried himself with a strange maturity, was standing on their doorstep.

“Hello,” the young man greeted, “my name is Makoto Naegi. I’m an agent of the International Police.” He must have been used to people doubting his claims based on his appearance because he automatically pulled out his badge and presented it to Jiro.

“I aided your nephew and his friends in Alola,” he went on to explain. “Part of our agreement with letting Shuichi take Mosaic back to the mainland was that Shuichi would attend training sessions at the Bureau branch in this city. It’s been a couple weeks, and I’m not trying to make light of your nephew’s condition, but Kyoko’s becoming very impatient.”

“Kyoko? You mean Kyoko Kirigiri?” Jiro asked in disbelief.

“Yes,” Makoto chuckled sheepishly. “I was under the impression Shuichi admired Kyoko as a role model, but… let’s just say their first official meeting didn’t go well. That’s why, despite Kyoko’s irritation, we both decided it was best _I_ come here to tell Shuichi he needs to start attending the sessions. If he doesn’t, we’ll have no choice but to take custody of Mosaic, and believe me sir, I _don’t_ want to do that.”

Jiro managed to pushed Blazer, Fang, and Lumine back enough to slip out the door and shut it behind him. He didn’t want to continue this conversation with a door in the way.

“Shuichi hasn’t said a word since I brought him home,” said Jiro, “and his friends have been rather tight-lipped as well. What happened in Alola?”

Makoto grimaced and looked away. “I don’t have the full story; all I know is what I witnessed and what some friends told me they witnessed. Shuichi and his friends ventured across the islands, collecting Z-Crystals so they would be strong enough to rescue Mosaic and Nebby when the time came. They were brutally attacked by a man named Monokuma, they ran into a dead-end that almost ended their quest, Shuichi almost drowned chasing evidence, but the worst was when they infiltrated Aether Paradise. The things they witnessed probably changed their worldview permanently.”

“And this has something to do with Mosaic?”

“Mosaic was created to fight a monster, a monster that is very, _very_ real. Shuichi saw that monster, and the worst part is that monster is still out there. All we could do was drive it back, we couldn’t defeat it. It’ll come back someday. That’s what we’re all afraid of. Shuichi needs to come to the branch to train with Mosaic. Mosaic is the only weapon we have that has a chance of defeating this creature.”

“Really?” Jiro said incredulously. “Out of all the resources the International Police have, they don’t have anything that stands a chance against this supposed monster? They absolutely need my nephew and his Pokémon?”

“We have something that can holds its own against Necrozma, but not defeat it,” Makoto replied firmly. Something about speaking the creature’s name altered Jiro’s skepticism, somehow making the threat appear a little more real.

“Please,” Makoto begged, “for your nephew’s sake, he needs to come to the Bureau branch; otherwise, we’ll be forced to take Mosaic from him.”

*International Bureau Branch*

Shuichi looked up at the building he was standing in front of with obvious distaste. This was the last place he wanted to be right now, but he had to start attending the sessions or risk losing Mosaic. After everything he went through in Alola to find him, there was no way he was taking that chance. So, despite his mental exhaustion, he dragged himself out of bed and back into the world. Thankfully, his uncle had offered to drive him, so he wouldn’t have to take the train.

With a tired sigh, he pushed through the glass double doors, instinctively pulling the brim of his hat down over his eyes at the sight of several employees wandering through the front lobby. None of them paid him any heed, but he still didn’t want them looking at him. The lobby was an open space with two electronic kiosks and a large reception desk. He approached the desk, silently getting the attention of one of the receptionists.

“Hello,” she greeted him. “For what reason do we welcome you to the Bureau?”

“Kirigiri,” he mumbled, too softly for her to hear.

“I’m sorry, sir. Could you repeat that?”

“Kirigiri,” he said a little bit louder, but still too softly.

“I can handle this,” someone spoke up.

Shuichi turned his head to see Mukuro, looking a little less gaunt and now wearing non-ragged clothing, had approached him. He was surprised to see her, considering she basically disappeared after they left Paradise. She was the ex-Aether employee responsible for whisking away Mosaic and the two Cosmog to the mainland, obstructing Junko’s plans. She was also Junko’s sister, which made the betrayal that much more confusing. Now it appeared she had allied herself with the International Police, but he wasn’t sure he could trust her yet.

“Come with me, Mister Saihara.” Mukuro looped her arm around his and pulled him close into her side, leading him away from the desk. The receptionist watched them with a critical eye, prompting Shuichi to abruptly turn his head away from her.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“Somewhere no one will bother us.”

That wasn’t very comforting, but he had few other options. It was either go with her or be forced to interact with Detective Kirigiri. Deciding the lesser of two evils was more favorable in this situation, he didn’t pull away as she led him further and further down a hallway, less and less people present as they traversed the twists and turns. Finally, she approached a double door and, after a quick glance around, pushed through, dragging Shuichi behind her.

Shuichi froze upon seeing the large shape inside the room. The room itself appeared to be a simple battlefield with no rocks or barriers. These were only considered for top battlers, since they would have to rely on their own ingenuity and their Pokémon’s skills to fight in a place that offered little protection. The room was large enough to house the Pokémon already waiting inside. Despite having only met the one time, Lunala looked pleased to see him.

“She’s here?” Shuichi murmured.

“Of course,” Mukuro pulled two folding chairs away from the wall, “she goes where I go.”

Shuichi sat down in one of the chairs, holding his tired head in his hands. Lunala crawled forward on her claws to sniff at him, letting out a huff when he didn’t respond right away. Shuichi raised his head enough to acknowledge her. He should feel amazed and in awe to be sitting before a Legendary Pokémon, especially one that he blatantly doubted the existence of in the past, but he couldn’t muster the effort.

“What’s your problem?” Mukuro bluntly asked.

“The world,” he replied without thinking.

“The world is full of problems,” she agreed, “but it’s up to you whether you let them affect you or not.”

Lunala was still shoving her snout in Shuichi’s face, prompting him to push her away. She snorted and clicked her teeth, crawling away to sulk.

“Don’t mind her,” Mukuro assured him once he became worried he had offended Lunala. “She’s just upset you’re not admiring her. She’s rather vain.”

“Was she really once a Cosmog?” Shuichi asked. Mukuro was the person who betrayed Junko; she was the individual on the other side of this situation. This was his chance to fill in the holes of the story that were still empty.

“Yes,” Mukuro responded. “When I found out Junko true intentions— to purposefully summon Necrozma— I knew I had to do something. The Type: Null weren’t created as a defense if Necrozma came through, they were created as a weapon to battle it head-on. I stole the two Cosmog to prevent her from opening anymore Ultra Wormholes and took one of the Type: Null as evidence for the International Police. I escaped to the mainland and started living in the hinterlands with my three new companions. I was able to send information to the International Police, who already had an undercover agent infiltrating Paradise, but I know my sister. I knew I couldn’t go directly to the Bureau yet; she would stop me.”

“But… she was in Paradise, right?” said Shuichi.

“Her influence is extensive. She doesn’t need to do anything when she has other people to do it for her.”

“The traffickers?”

“That was a little genius plot she cooked up. You see, Junko had the support of the Alolan people because she was helping maintain the islands’ ecosystem, but her greatest support came from the Keala family. She promised them exactly what they wanted: returning the islands to their isolated glory. The family offered payment to set up the trafficking ring at the beginning of the year, Junko provided cover for their actions and slipped in her own cronies amongst the traffickers to find me, the Cosmog, and the Type: Null.”

“No one would suspect the Aether Foundation of playing a role in the trafficking ring if they were actively trying to stop the traffickers,” Shuichi commented.

“Exactly. Her cronies had free reign to search the mainland for me and a method of transporting the Cosmog and Type: Null once they found us.”

“But Detective Kirigiri was looking for you,” said Shuichi. “Wouldn’t the threat of her catching them ward them off?”

“I didn’t know she was looking for me,” Mukuro revealed. “At the time, the only contact I had with the International Police was the initial information I gave them. I was constantly on the move to avoid the traffickers, but they eventually tracked me down and attacked. I lost the Type: Null and one of the Cosmog and contacted the International Police to let them know. I continued living in the hinterlands, trying to think of a way I could return to Alola and stop my sister. My answer came when my Cosmog became Cosmoem and, eventually, Lunala. With the hope that the traffickers hadn’t returned the second Cosmog yet, Lunala and I started attacking the ships to find it.”

“I rescued the Pokémon on one of those ships,” Shuichi mentioned. “My friend Angie said she saw Lunala appear from the sky and strike down the ship with the power of the moon.”

“Yes, that happened,” Mukuro affirmed.

“And I didn’t believe her,” Shuichi scolded himself.

“If all of this weren’t happening to me, I wouldn’t believe it either,” Mukuro remarked. “You’re not at fault.”

“What happened to the Pokémon stolen by the traffickers? After we stopped the Keala family and Junko fled Paradise?”

“I only have secondhand information, but the Bureau is currently coordinating efforts to reunite the Pokémon with their families.”

“That’s good…” Shuichi slumped in his chair.

“You can release your Pokémon in this room, it’s safe,” Mukuro urged him. “And… if you don’t mind, I’d like to see him again.”

Shuichi knew who “him” was. For the first time in three weeks, he felt a jolt of emotion. He was happy to release Mosaic from his Pokéball. He was happy to allow Mukuro to see the Pokémon she had rescued and survived in the hinterlands with. But a thought occurred a split second after Lumine, Scout, and Mosaic emerged from their Pokéballs. Kaito said Cosmog was an Ultra Beast, and Mukuro said Lunala was the evolved form of Cosmog, so didn’t that mean Lunala was an Ultra Beast? And that Mosaic, as the Beast Killer, would be driven to kill her?

Mosaic shook himself after materializing, looking around to see where he was. He appeared comforted by Lumine, Scout, and Shuichi’s appearances, but his attention immediately went to Lunala.

“Don’t!” Shuichi jumped to his feet when Mosaic took a step toward Lunala.

“It’s okay,” Mukuro grabbed him by the shoulders. “He won’t hurt her.”

Mukuro’s words proved correct when Lunala happily crawled to Mosaic, who, after cautiously sniffing her, returned the affection. Shuichi stared in disbelief as he watched the Beast Killer behave amicably with an Ultra Beast.

“But… but isn’t she…?”

“Type: Null never tried to attack the Cosmog,” Mukuro stated.

“But Kaito said Cosmog is an Ultra Beast!” Shuichi argued back. “He found it on a computer in Paradise!”

“Cosmog comes from Ultra Space, so we thought it was an Ultra Beast, but Type: Null’s disinterest in attacking them says something else.”

“Something else?”

“Ultra Beasts are Pokémon-like creatures that come from Ultra Space. They’re similar but not the same. It’s this foreignness combined with traces of radiation from Ultra Space that drive Type: Null to seek them out and destroy them. Lunala and Cosmog’s presence leaks radiation, which causes Type: Null to track them down, but not kill them. That’s why… that’s why I think the Beasts of Light aren’t foreign. They have the power to traverse Ultra Space, but I think they are originally from our world. They are Ultra Space travelers, but they are Pokémon.”

Shuichi watched Lunala gently tap Mosaic on the head with her claws, Mosaic playfully snapping his beak-like mouth. That was definitely not the same behavior he saw Mosaic display towards Necrozma. Mosaic, Nebby, and Lunala (as a Cosmog) had lived and survived with Mukuro in the hinterlands for months. If Mosaic never attempted to kill the Cosmog that entire time, it supported Mukuro’s hypothesis. Cosmog wasn’t an Ultra Beast.

Mosaic finally noticed Mukuro’s presence and bounded over to her, shoving his muzzle under her hand. Shuichi watched, mystified, as Mosaic behaved as friendly as he did with Shuichi towards Mukuro. But, in a way, it made sense. Mosaic and Mukuro survived together for months, so of course they would have developed a bond. Mukuro smiled for the first time since Shuichi had met her, scratching Mosaic’s ears.

“He really likes you,” Shuichi remarked. “I feel bad about stealing him away from you.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. You rescued him and gave him a new chance,” Mukuro replied. “He’s not my Pokémon anymore, he’s yours. You cared for him, and he came to care for you.”

Shuichi smiled for the first time in weeks. “I wonder what was going through his head when he saw me at Paradise?”

“It was probably the moment he realized he could trust you completely.”

Scout and Lumine both approached Mukuro, wanting the same attention she was giving Mosaic. Lunala decided to copy them and seek affection from Shuichi, who was more receptive this time. He wondered if Angie ever got the chance to pet Lunala as he ran his fingers along the crescent shape of her head.

“Where are your Pokémon?” he asked Mukuro.

She visibly tensed, and Shuichi regretted the question immediately. “They’re not around anymore.”

“You said all you have is Lunala. What happened to your other Pokémon?” Shuichi questioned, the gravestones of Memorial Hill flashing in his mind.

“My sister killed them and used them to make Mosiac.”

The resulting silence was deafening. Shuichi couldn’t believe he had just heard what she told him. Mukuro’s Pokémon were dead… and their remains were used to create Mosaic? Did they create only Mosaic from those remains, or all three Type: Null? If the former were the truth, maybe that was why Mukuro specifically chose to rescue Mosaic. It was the only way she could be with her Pokémon again.

“Here, then take him back.” Shuichi unclipped Mosaic’s Pokéball and held it out to her. Maybe surrendering Mosaic to Detective Kirigiri was a devastating thought, but Mukuro knew Mosaic was more than a weapon. She loved him. She deserved him.

“No,” Mukuro replied firmly. “He’s yours. I lost him, and you found him. You gave him a new purpose.”

Shuichi’s grip faltered and he cupped the Pokéball in both hands. He couldn’t bear the idea of someone killing Lumine and Scout and using their remains in a science experiment. He would probably completely shut down. Mukuro was much stronger than he was. She experienced some of the worst pain the world could throw at her: being betrayed by her sister, unwittingly being a part of summoning Ultra Beasts to their world, having her Pokémon killed to create Mosaic, having Mosaic and Nebby taken from her when she attempted to run. Despite all that, she managed to stay strong. It was admirable.

“Don’t start thinking I’m a hero,” Mukuro spoke up, as if she had read Shuichi’s thought. “I’m a very broken person. Everything I’ve been through… it hurts… every day. Do you have any idea what I would give to not be in this situation? My only family betrayed me, and while Chihiro, Kiyotaka, Mondo, and the others are dear friends to me, it doesn’t make up for the fact my twin sister, who I’ve spent my entire life with, deceived me and has done terrible things. I can’t change the past, but I can stop what’s to come.”

“That sounds like a hero to me,” Shuichi retorted.

“You’re as much a hero as I am then,” she responded.

“Me!?” Shuichi almost choked in shock. “I’m not a hero!”

“From what I’ve heard, you’ve been in a depressive state for three weeks but still managed to drag yourself down here for the sake of keeping Mosaic. That seems heroic to me.”

“I think we have different views of what is considered ‘heroic.’”

“Everyone thinks a hero is someone who does grand things, like in the stories, but heroic actions can happen every day. Despite your depression, you’re here and you’re ready to do anything to keep Mosaic. You have what it takes to get over this. You have a family, a support system, you have the resources to get help.”

“I know,” he admitted, “but it’s hard. I’ve had these feelings before, but not like this. I just feel… trapped; like nothing I do will fix this. My mind’s frozen and everyone else moved on. Nothing matters.”

“Regardless of your feelings, the world’s going to keep on turning,” said Mukuro. “And if you’re lost in your head for too long, you’re going to be left behind. Instead, you might as well take that leap forward and come out ahead.”

Her words sunk in more than any other stimuli these past three weeks. Mukuro was hurting just as much as he was, maybe even more, but she wasn’t moping. Now, that might be because she was numbing herself, pushing down her own personal feelings for the sake of others, which was incredibly unhealthy. He could only hope she would seek out the same help he had once all this was over. She deserved it more than anyone. But she was right; he had the support she didn’t, he would be a fool not to take advantage of it.

*

Shuichi straightened his collar and tucked his shirt tails into the waistband of his pants. Today was his first appointment with Dr. Gekkogahara and he didn’t want to look like a vagabond. He doubted she would care, but he cared, and maybe that was sign he was already starting to recover. He looked at himself in the mirror, letting out a frustrated sigh at that one strand of hair that refused to lie flat. He looked around his room and spied his baseball cap on his desk, exactly where he had left it after his last outing.

He took a single step toward his desk, ready to fall into muscle memory and scoop up the hat to place on his head and hide himself from the gazes of the world. He didn’t get further than that single step. What was the point anymore? Just because he hid from the gawks and looks, didn’t mean they weren’t happening; it just meant he couldn’t see them. Just because he pretended they weren’t happening, didn’t mean the stares would stop. Just like how he couldn’t pretend he could hide from Junko, Monokuma, and Necrozma inside his room. They were out there, and they were going to come back at some point. Ignoring them wasn’t going to stop that. With a determined glare, he purposefully turned away and exited his room, without his hat.

The world could be an ugly place. Hateful eyes would glare at him, filled with malice and dark intentions, but he wasn’t going to hide from them anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, last week was supposed to be my week. I was gonna churn this chapter out and get a headstart on the next. I was gonna get so much done, but nooooo. One sinus infection later and I'm down for the count.


	20. Some Enchanted Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being invited to Hajime and Nagito’s wedding, Shuichi takes Kaede as his plus one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmoem (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zorua (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy), Carbink  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Chiaki Nanami: Wigglytuff, Azumarill  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Ibuki Mioda: Kricketune, Exploud  
> Sonia Nevermind: Escavalier (x2), Spiritomb  
> Gundam Tanaka: Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, Dedenne  
> Mikan Tsumiki: Chansey  
> Ryota Mitarai: Goomy  
> Teruteru Hanamura: Paras, Ambipom  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc, Beartic, Ursaring  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo

### 

Part 3: The Blinding One

### 

Chapter 20: Some Enchanted Evening

“Shuichiiii! I have a present for you!”

Shuichi quirked an eyebrow as Makoto happily bounded up to him, a strange oblong case in his arms. His Victini pranced beside him, seemingly unaware of anything other than its own enjoyment. Makoto held the case out to Shuichi, who unclasped the lid and lifted it. Inside were eighteen disks, each a different color. Mosaic also looked inside the case, his mouth clicking in displeasure. Victini used its wing-like twin tails to levitate in the air and peak into the case. It squeaked happily and took out one of the discs, attempting to bite one and becoming sorely disappointed once it realized they weren’t donuts or whatever treat it assumed they were.

“What are these?” Shuichi asked, taking the disc from Victini.

“Special delivery from Miss Yukizome!” Makoto replied. “She’s still at Aether Paradise, leading the team in dredging up whatever information we can find. These are Elemental Memories; they’re the objects that interact with the RKS System and change Type: Null’s elemental type.”

“Silvally,” Shuichi corrected him. “He’s a Silvally now.”

“Oh sorry,” Makoto apologized.

“What’s the RKS System?” Shuichi inquired. “I read about it on one of the computer terminals at Paradise.”

“I can answer that,” said a new voice.

Shuichi was finding as he and Mosaic bonded, they were becoming more in sync with one another. Upon hearing Kyoko speaking and seeing her enter the training room he, Makoto, and their Pokémon were in, both Shuichi and Mosaic tensed and glared at her. If she noticed, she didn’t give an indication. She strode professionally across the room, approaching Mosaic. The Silvally clicked his mouth, his muscles stiffening as he prepared himself to attack if necessary. Lumine and Scout flanked him, ready to support him if things went wrong.

“I feel it is time I begin taking part in these training sessions,” she told Shuichi. “I gave you space so you could be more comfortable, but I need to oversee your progress.”

Shuichi glanced between her and Makoto, who was offering a stressed smile. “…Okay. You can start attending— as long as Makoto stays too.”

He remembered Kaede’s comment on Rantaro’s boat as they were leaving Alola over a month ago. She had said she couldn’t believe Makoto and Kyoko were partners given their different personalities. He was hoping as long as Makoto was here, he could balance Kyoko’s more… blunt personality.

“That is acceptable,” Kyoko replied. She reached into the case still in Makoto’s grasp and pulled out a different colored disc. It was at this moment Shuichi noticed her hands.

When Shuichi first began to admire Detective Kirigiri, it was after he had read an exposé article about her life and her line of work with the International Police. Given how young she was and all the things she had accomplished, he became instantly smitten by her professionalism and success, hoping he could one day stand on equal ground as a detective. Those boyhood day dreams gradually faded as he grew older and more knowledgeable about the kind of work he was fated to complete. Maybe he wasn’t destined to be famous, but that was okay.

Nevertheless, the article included some photos of Detective Kirigiri and, in every single one, she was wearing a pair of black gloves with small silver studs. There was even one photo where she was wearing a pair of blue examiner’s gloves over the black ones. He also remembered seeing her give a speech on television one time, and she was still wearing the gloves. The article never revealed why she was so attached to them, and here she was, standing before him, still wearing them. His curiosity ached to ask the reason why, but his logic told him to shut up.

“This is the Fighting Memory,” Kyoko explained, placing the disc in his hand. She took a step towards Mosaic but was forced to pause when he growled at her.

“May I?” she asked, gesturing to Mosaic.

“It’s okay,” Shuichi reassured him.

Mosaic sank down on his haunches and kept a threatening glare trained on Kyoko. Lumine and Scout sat beside him, not staring at Kyoko with as much intensity, but enough to let her know they wouldn’t tolerate her harming their teammate. Kyoko moved slowly but fluidly, tapping a finger against the strange circular markings on Mosaic’s jaw.

“These are the access ports to the RKS System,” she said to Shuichi. “The RKS System is inside Type: Nu— Silvally’s brain.”

Shuichi’s head jerked slightly when he heard Kyoko catch and correct herself mid-sentence. He was still wary towards her, but something about how she was making an effort made him feel more at ease.

“When you insert a Memory into the port,” she gestured to the disc in Shuichi’s hand, “Silvally will change its elemental type to correspond with the element of the Memory.”

“Like Arceus and the elemental plates,” Shuichi realized. When Makoto and Kyoko both gave him surprised looks, he faltered and mumbled, “My friend Kiyo knows pretty much everything about the old legends.”

“Today, we’re going to attempt to change Silvally’s type,” Kyoko stated. “But we must be cautious. This is the incident that caused the three Type: Null to go mad. Your Silvally has managed to keep himself stable without his limiter helmet because of his bond with you, so, hopefully, that same bond will allow him to use the RKS System.”

Then, with a flourish, she summoned two Pokéballs and threw them into the air, the flashes of light revealing an Ursaring and Beartic. The two bear Pokémon took a moment to look around and take note of their surroundings before standing at attention.

“What are they here for?” Shuichi asked.

“Just a precaution in case Silvally loses himself,” Kyoko answered.

Shuichi wanted to snap at her, but he knew she was right. Mosaic had managed to remain stable without his helmet this whole time, but this was the real test. He didn’t know how the RKS System worked or what it did to Mosaic’s brain and body to change his type. It was best they be ready for anything to happen. After swallowing an audible gulp, Shuichi stepped beside Mosaic as Kyoko, Makoto, and their Pokémon backed away. He wasn’t quite sure how to open the port, but Mosaic apparently could because it slid open on its own.

 _Okay, this is the moment of truth._ Shuichi placed the Fighting Memory inside the casing that slid out of the port, watching with bated breath as it retracted into Mosaic’s jaw. They all stood silently as Mosaic’s eyes, crest, and tail turned orange. The Silvally let out a huff and shook his head, his mane rustling back and forth.

“So far so good,” said Kyoko. “Shuichi, have your Lycanroc use Stone Edge.”

“Um,” Shuichi responded, “Lumine hasn’t quite mastered it yet. How about Rock Slide?”

“Fine. We just need a Rock-type attack to see if the type-change worked.”

Everyone further cleared the battlefield, leaving just Lumine and Mosaic. Unlike the room where Mukuro had taken Shuichi his first visit to the Bureau branch, this battleroom had obstacles such as boulders, ditches, and even some shrubbery. Lumine looked a little nervous about attacking Mosaic, perhaps understanding how delicate this situation was, but he didn’t back down.

“Lumine, use Rock Slide! Mosaic, defend yourself!” Shuichi ordered, still unsure of what attacks Mosaic knew or how the element would manifest itself.

Lumine stomped the rocky ground, several boulders loosening themselves and flying toward Mosaic. The Silvally firmly planted his stance, his crest appearing to flare even higher. A strange energy so powerful it was visible to the naked eye cloaked him. With a shrill cry, Mosaic barreled forward and headbutted one of the largest boulders directly, shattering it into pieces. He did this to all the flying boulders, leaving the battlefield covered in small pebbles.

“Wow,” Shuichi exhaled his held breath. “What was that?”

“According to the information Miss Yukizome found at Paradise, that was called Multi-Attack,” Makoto explained. “It’s how Silvally uses the Elemental Memories. Whatever Memory is in the RKS System is the element the attack manifests as. You inserted the Fighting Memory, so Multi-Attack was a Fighting-type move.”

“Let’s try another one,” said Kyoko. She took the case from Makoto and approached Shuichi, holding the lid open to see what options there were. “Try the Grass one. We’ll have your Vaporeon use a Water-type move against him.”

Shuichi picked out the darker green Memory and walked over to Mosaic’s side. The Silvally appeared to be calm and in control of himself, turning his head so Shuichi could access the port and replace the Memory. Mosaic’s eyes, crest, and tail turned the same shade of green as the Memory. Shuichi retreated from the battlefield, accompanied by Lumine who was replaced by Scout.

“Scout, use Water Gun. Mosaic, withstand the attack.”

Scout let loose a stream of water from his mouth. It wasn’t the strongest Water-type move, but Shuichi was still training Lumine and Scout alongside Mosaic. He could only hope all three developed a well-rounded movepool before Necrozma returned. Mosaic may be the Beast Killer, the only weapon that had a chance of defeating rather than deterring Necrozma, but that didn’t mean he was going into the fight without support.

Mosaic once again planted his stance, the same aura enveloping him, only this time he didn’t attack. Instead, he let the water hit him, rivulets running off his body like he was covered in a hydrophobic substance. After the attack finished, he shook his body to rid himself of the last droplets, clearly not harmed in any way.

“That’s amazing,” Makoto marveled.

“This is the power of the Beast Killer,” Kyoko stated. “This is what they were meant to accomplish. Sad how Junko will never reap the benefits of her own creation,” she said this last sentence with an obvious smirk.

Kyoko’s words made Shuichi realize the gravity of the situation. Junko had three Type: Null created and all of them failed to accomplish what they had just done. Mosaic had been one of them. Now, he had successfully changed his elemental type twice, deflected an attack and withstood another in accordance with the Memory’s type. They had done what Junko and the entirety of the Aether Foundation scientific team couldn’t.

They stabilized the Beast Killer. They perfected the weapon against Necrozma.

“But…” Shuichi spoke up, “do we know Necrozma’s type? Do we know if it even has one?”

“We know Ghost-type moves are super-effective,” Makoto answered. “Since Lunala was able to deal a large amount of damage with her Shadow Ball attacks. That means Necrozma is either a Psychic or Ghost-type, or at least half one of those types. It also means Necrozma isn’t a Normal-type or a Dark-type, since the attacks had an effect and it wasn’t minor.”

Based on Necrozma’s appearance, Shuichi would have been leaning toward it being a Dark-type, but one couldn’t judge a Pokémon’s type solely by appearance. If all else failed, they could use the Ghost Memory, since they knew it would be effective. 

“Why don’t we call it quits for today?” Makoto suggested. 

“Are you sure?” Shuichi asked.

“Yes,” Kyoko responded. “We’ve accomplished much, let’s not test our luck.”

“Okay then.” Scout and Mosaic stepped off the battlefield, returning to Shuichi’s side. Kyoko’s Beartic and Usaring barely flinched as they were returned to their Pokéballs, displaying a professionalism and stalwartness one would expect of a top detective’s Pokémon. Yet, one couldn’t help but fawn over Makoto’s Victini, who didn’t seem to care about presenting itself in a professional manner. In fact, it was currently pulling at Kyoko's ponytail, which she pointedly ignored, hinting this was a regular occurrence.

“You are free to go,” Kyoko told Shuichi. “Makoto and I will review what we’ve accomplished today and begin laying out a new training regimen.”

“And you’ll be part of the training from now on?” Shuichi asked, subtly fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

“I feel it best that I am.”

“But we’ve made lots of progress today,” said Makoto. Something about that statement seemed to hint he wasn’t just talking about the successful type-change in Mosaic. This supposition was only cemented when he turned to Kyoko and kissed her on the cheek.

Shuichi nearly choked on his breath, barely managing to stifle his shock into small sputtering noises. Kyoko and Makoto didn’t seem to notice, or they didn’t care. Realizing he wasn’t going to recover from his astonishment, Shuichi bid the two officers a hasty farewell, grabbed his messenger bag, and nearly sprinted out of the battleroom with his Pokémon hot on his tail.

“I think you broke him,” Mukuro remarked as she entered the battleroom from a separate door.

“It’s not like it’s a secret,” Makoto replied, “we’re just not very open about it in public.”

“Did you watch the entire session?” Kyoko asked.

“Yes, Mosaic and Shuichi have successfully completed the Beast Killer project. I didn’t see any of the troubling behavior we observed during the initial trials. Mosaic was calm the entire time; he’s stable.”

“Then there’s little reason to fear he might lose control?”

“When confronted by Necrozma again, he may feel his instincts drive him to mindlessly kill it, but as long as Shuichi is there, I think Mosaic will keep control. My theory is he diverts his instincts by channeling them through a new purpose. He still wants to destroy Necrozma, but he wants to do it so he can defend Shuichi.”

*

“Are you serious!?” Kaede squealed, like she had just heard the juiciest tidbit of information in her life, which, in a way, she had.

“Yes, I’m serious,” Shuichi replied. “Makoto and Detective Kirigiri are more than investigative partners, they’re romantic partners.”

“I thought you didn’t like gossip,” Kaede teased him.

“This isn’t gossip!” he insisted. “I’m telling you what I saw, right in front of me. It’s sort of blatantly obvious.”

“Whatever you say,” she smirked.

Shuichi frowned at her. “Fine, then let’s talk about something else.”

“Alriiiight,” Kaede conceded, clearly upset she couldn’t keep prying him for information. She crossed her arms and dramatically pouted, readjusting her sitting position on her living room couch. “Speaking of romantic partners, how’s the gift search going? You have plenty of time, so don’t stress about it.”

“I can’t help it.” Shuichi slouched down, like he was trying to sink into her couch cushions. “I stress about everything.”

“When’s the date?”

“They’re getting married on Christmas Day.”

“How romantic!” Kaede squealed again, falling back into the cushions. “They’re soooo adorable! So, you’ve got, like, seven weeks or something? You’ll come up with an idea. Besides, are they really going to care if you don’t have a gift? I mean… they’ve been living together for how long? And they’re rich! What do they even need as newlyweds?”

“That’s the problem!” Shuichi complained. “What do you get for two people who already have everything they need?” He groaned and rubbed his temples. “Maybe Rantaro has something rare and exotic he’d be willing to part with.”

“Just do what you did for Kiyo and get them Mega Stones,” Kaede suggested.

“They don’t have any Pokémon that Mega Evolve. I could get evolutionary stones for Nagito’s two Vulpix, but I think they’re pets, not battlers. He might not want to evolve them.”

“Just ask Kiyo for advice,” said Kaede. “While you’ve been indisposed, he’s been raiding every store in the city.”

“What for?” Shuichi asked, genuinely curious about this odd behavior.

“The second he could walk on his own, he started showering Kirumi in gifts to apologize for attacking her. She finally had to demand he stop.”

“Poor guy,” Shuichi sighed. “He’s probably paranoid he’s going to lose her. To this day, I still can’t figure out how those two started dating, but now I can’t imagine one without the other.”

“What if they get married someday?” Kaede’s eyes practically sparkled with excitement. “The ceremony would be beautiful! I bet Kiyo would include parts of wedding traditions from all over the world, and Kirumi’s family would supply the food!” She almost started drooling at the thought of tasting the restaurant’s food again.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Shuichi interjected. “Right now, we need to think about the upcoming wedding in December.”

“We?” Kaede tilted her head.

“Oh… right.” Shuichi instinctively reached for the brim of his hat, trying to hide his embarrassment in having forgotten to ask her, but his hat wasn’t there. It hadn’t been for weeks. “Um… the invitation came with a plus one offer. Kaede… would you like to go to the wedding with me?”

“Really!? Yes! I’d love to go! Oh no…” her enthusiasm died in an instant. “I have to get a new dress! Something fancy for a yakuza wedding!”

“I’m sure what you have is fine,” Shuichi insisted. “I was going to wear the suit I wore to your recital.”

“No!” Kaede scolded him. “Nothing I have is good enough for this event.”

“Kaede, calm down. Nagito and Hajime won’t care if you don’t wear a brand-new dress. Besides, I’m sure you’ll look… beautiful no matter what.” Since he was lacking his hat, he tucked his chin down to try and hide the blush creeping up his neck. 

“Oh… thank you, Shuichi.” She turned her head away, leaving the two to wallow in the awkward silence. 

“U-uh, um…” Shuichi spoke up, breaking the silence. “I like the dress you wore to your recital; it’s simple but fitting. Besides, everyone’s going to be focused on the bride and groom, right? Oh! Uh, I guess ‘groom and groom’ in this case?”

“Are they both wearing suits? Because Nagito would look good in a dress,” Kaede stated nonchalantly.

Shuichi sputtered and coughed. “I think you’ve been spending too much time with Tsumugi. Nagito hasn’t shown any interest in wearing women’s clothes before, so I don’t think he’s going to start any time soon.”

“That’s a shame,” Kaede crossed her arms again and looked down at the floor with a disappointed look. “Do you think Rantaro would look good in a dress?”

“I’m going to get some water.” Shuichi shot up from the couch, trying to escape the conversation.

“It’s just a hypothetical,” Kaede insisted, jumping up and grabbing his arm to keep him from leaving. “You can answer a hypothetical, can’t you? Would Rantaro look good in a dress?”

“…Yes.”

*

Shuichi was beginning to realize how crazy his life had become when he received a text message from an unknown number asking if he had a sweet tooth, and he realized he wasn’t too worried about the implications or who was asking. At first, he had assumed it was Kokichi messing with him, but he hadn’t heard a peep from the smaller boy in weeks. Thankfully, Nagito texted another message right afterward revealing it was him. Shuichi had replied asking why him having a sweet tooth mattered, but Nagito was apparently too excited to properly explain and only asked him to be at Kuzuryu Compound the next day around noon.

And so, Shuichi arrived at the disguised office building, walking around the corner to the driveway. He paused when he saw the telltale black marks in the street, the remnants of the cargo truck speeding away that fateful night. This was the place he was almost shot, saved only by Mosaic’s quick movement. Thankfully, the gate had been replaced; he wouldn’t have been able to walk by the twisted metal mess. 

Izuru came striding out of the warehouse, having noticed someone had trespassed into the courtyard. He froze when he saw Shuichi, his tense shoulders relaxing the slightest bit. He nodded his head slightly as a greeting to Shuichi then turned and walked away. Shuichi noticed Izuru now walked with a slight limp, memories of that night creeping into his mind. He remembered the sight of all that blood pouring from Izuru’s leg, leaving small crimson puddles and smeared footprints wherever the young man had stood or sat for a few minutes at a time. Now it appeared the wound had had a permanent effect on him. 

“Where is he?” Izuru’s voice spooked Shuichi from his musing.

“Wh-what?”

“Mosaic. Where is he?” Izuru had halted right at the entrance of the warehouse, turning his head to look back at Shuichi.

“Oh! I can show you if you want to see him.” Shuichi reached into his messenger bag and pulled out Mosaic’s Pokéball. He remembered Izuru always had an odd fascination with Mosaic. Maybe he was intrigued by the Silvally’s creation and behavior; something mysterious, something new.

Mosaic looked around the courtyard, vaguely recognizing his surroundings from the night he was moved to the Compound and the night he was stolen away to Alola. He almost didn’t realize this was the same place since he was now seeing it in the daylight. He made eye contact with Izuru, who turned completely to face him, and purposefully held his gaze, like both were trying to challenge one another.

“His coat looks brighter,” Izuru commented.

“Yeah, he lets me brush him regularly now,” Shuichi replied.

“Feed him lots of Oran berries; they promote a healthy, shiny coat.”

With that, Izuru turned away again and entered the warehouse, the dim shadows swallowing him. Shuichi watched him disappear, slightly mystified by his behavior. Izuru was never very friendly towards Shuichi— or anyone really, now that Shuichi thought about it. He was still amazed he and Hajime were twin brothers. He couldn’t even imagine Izuru behaving affectionately to any extant towards his own brother.

“Shuichi!” Nagito came bounding out the back entrance to the main office building, happily giving Mosaic a scratch behind the ears. “I’m so glad you could join me.”

The wispy-haired man gestured for Shuichi to enter a familiar-looking car parked on the side of the courtyard. Shuichi recognized it after it almost hit him on the night Mosaic was taken. Realizing it was Hajime and Nagito’s car, he returned Mosaic to his Pokéball climbed into the passenger seat without any feeling of apprehension. Nagito sat down in the driver’s seat, Shuichi watching him handle the car expertly. Riding the train was a much more common practice than driving, so, despite Uncle Jiro owning and driving a car, which doubled as his police cruiser, Shuichi had yet to drive a car on his own. 

The metal gate to the courtyard retracted after Nagito summoned a remote from the side pocket of his door, allowing the car to turn onto the main road. Nagito babbled endlessly about random topics, Shuichi barely able to keep up with him and just nodding along. He didn’t know where they were going, Nagito didn’t offer an answer, so when they pulled up outside a bakery, he was perplexed. 

“I’ll be right back,” Nagito said, climbing out of the car. “Just stay put.”

 _Why would we go to a bakery? Why would Nagito need me to go to a bakery?_ Shuichi sighed and looked around the car to pass the time. The interior was pristine, not a scratch or hair on the leather seats. It had that ‘new car smell’ despite him knowing it was at least a few months old. Despite the cleanliness, he couldn’t help but wonder what random objects were hidden in the nooks and crannies. He remembered Hajime grabbing the length of rope from the trunk to use as a tourniquet on Izuru’s leg. What else had that rope been used for?

He jumped when his door opened and Nagito placed a wide, flat box into his lap. Shuichi tried to lift the lid to peek inside while Nagito returned to the driver’s seat. The box was taped, so the lid wouldn’t open all the way. He couldn’t see inside, but he could smell the distinct scent of baked goods. Nagito had asked if he had a sweet tooth, but did he seriously ask Shuichi to join him in eating cupcakes, or cookies, or whatever was in this box?

“Don’t worry,” said Nagito, “there’s a reason. I needed a couple volunteers for this task.”

“And… you can’t do it yourself because…?”

“We need enough people to hold a discussion, and I don’t much care for sweet things. I prefer salty.”

 _Okay…_ Shuichi settled into his seat, fingers idly tapping on the lid of the box. The box itself had the logo of the bakery on it as well as a design around the edges. It looked fancy and he wondered how expensive the sweets must have been. Was this a random treat? Did Nagito want to celebrate something? When one had money to spare, Shuichi guessed this was something that could happen often.

The house they pulled up to was not some grand mansion, like the Amami family’s home was, but it was still impressive in subtle ways. Besides, the Amamis had the immense house to accommodate the large family. This house was larger than Uncle Jiro and Aunt Ayame’s house and was situated on a bigger property. It looked to be two stories tall with huge windows on the top floor. Shuichi climbed out of the car, tightly holding the box. There was a path of decorative stones leading to the front door, almost too beautiful to walk on.

Nagito warmly welcomed him into the home, instructing him to place the box on the kitchen table after removing his shoes. Shuichi couldn’t help but marvel at the interior. Like the outside of the house, it was majestic in subtle ways. The living room furniture was arranged around a flatscreen television, decorative pillows positioned on the couches. The hardwood floors shined and didn’t have a single scratch on them.

Hope and Joy came scrambling from upstairs, pausing momentarily when they saw a ‘stranger’ was in the house before recognizing Shuichi and started pawing at his legs to have his attention. Shuichi set the box on the table and crouched to pet both of them. Kaede’s words echoed in his mind. He could purchase a Fire Stone and an Ice Stone to evolve the duo, but what if Nagito never wanted to evolve them? What if he wanted them to remain Vulpix? That would be a waste of a gift. Maybe Shuichi could take advantage of this moment and look around the house a little. Maybe he could find some idea of what to gift the soon-to-be-married couple.

There was a sliding glass door in the dining room offering Shuichi a wonderful view of a gorgeous backyard. Uncle Jiro and Aunt Ayame’s house had a small back patio with some plants in long planter boxes, but that was nothing compared to this. Shuichi opened the sliding door and stepped into the backyard. There was a flower garden and a large lawn of pristine, green grass. However, it was the single-story building stretching the width of the far end of the backyard that caught Shuichi’s eye.

“I hope she’s awake,” Nagito commented as he stepped around Shuichi, striding across the grass toward the building. Curious, Shuichi followed him to see who he was talking about. Nagito rapped his knuckles against the door, listening for the quiet shuffling before it cracked open and a tired eye peeked out at them.

“Oh, is it time?” The door opened completely and revealed a sleepy-looking young woman wearing pajamas. Shuichi recognized her in an instant.

“I saw you in a video chat with Chihiro,” he stated.

“Hello, you must be Shuichi,” she greeted in drowsy tone. Shuichi was reminded of Himiko before Tenko started motivating her a little more. “I’m Chiaki Nanami, it’s nice to finally meet you. Sorry we haven’t had the chance to meet face-to-face until now, but I’ve been finishing some test stages.”

“Test stages?”

“Chiaki helps make video games,” Nagito explained. “She’s been obsessed with video games her whole life, so this is basically her dream job.”

“And I live here so Hajime and Nagito can keep an eye on me,” said Chiaki. “Make sure I remember to eat, try to keep me on a healthy sleep schedule, get me out of the house at least once a week…”

“You live here with them?” Shuichi looked over his shoulder back towards the house.

“I live out here,” she specified. “We’ve been friends since high school. They look out for me.”

“If it weren’t for Chiaki, Hajime and I probably wouldn’t have started dating,” Nagito added.

“Oh, you two would have figured it out eventually.” Chiaki slipped on a pair of shoes but before she could step out the door, an Azumarill and Wigglytuff pushed their way past her. Nagito greeted both with an affectionate pat on the head.

It appeared Nagito’s ‘discussion group’ was composed of Shuichi and Chiaki, as well as their Pokémon, which he insisted join them in the kitchen. Hope and Joy were vexed at the sight of Scout and Lumine, especially since Lumine now towered over them. However, the feeling of apprehension dispelled when Lumine play-bowed toward them. Mosaic watched the four of them play but chose not to join in. He was so much larger than them he might hurt them without meaning to. Besides, the aroma of the baked goods was distracting him.

“I’m glad you two were free to join me,” Nagito said as he swiped a knife blade through the tape holding the box shut. He lifted the lid to reveal several slices of different cake flavors and small cups of icings. “We are going to sample cake and frosting flavors to find the best options for the wedding.”

“Sampling wedding cakes?” Shuichi repeated, glancing down at the treats.

“Is that a problem?” Nagito frowned, looking worried that offended Shuichi somehow.

“Oh no!” Shuichi reassured him. “It’s just… I’ve never done this before. I didn’t realize it was a part of preparing for the wedding. But why did you ask me? Aren’t there any other clan members who could help?”

“Well, I sort of had an ulterior motive for asking you.” Nagito took another knife and cut one of the cake slices into smaller pieces, offering Chiaki and Shuichi a piece on separate plates. “I wanted to ask you how your therapy sessions are going. Since you’ve been out and about, I suspected you were attending.”

“I have been,” Shuichi confirmed, accepting the slice of cake and gently elbowing Mosaic away when he tried to stick his snout in it. “I’ve been having sessions twice a week. It took a little while to get used to talking with a computer program. Is she mute?”

“I’m not sure,” Nagito sat down in an empty chair. “I’ve never mustered the courage to ask. After a while, you stop noticing the robotic voice.”

“How long have you been a client? If you don’t mind me asking.” Shuichi picked up a piece of the cake with his fork and dipped it into one of the cups of frosting. Red velvet with cream cheese frosting was an obvious combination, but, frankly, he never saw the appeal.

“Since high school,” Nagito responded. “Fuyuhiko found her for me. He heard some great reviews.”

“She was still a relatively new practice at the time,” Chiaki stated, feeding the rest of her slice of cake to her Azumarill and Wigglytuff. “She considers Nagito her best success case.”

“Uncle Jiro told me you said you were a basket case,” Shuichi chuckled.

“No, I said I _used_ to be a basket case,” Nagito remarked. “ _Hajime_ said I still am one.”

“You are still a basket case,” Chiaki affirmed, helping herself to a different flavor.

The two devolved into arguing over whether Nagito still had certain issues, so Shuichi took some time to himself and looked around. He spied a small, decorative table crowded with framed pictures and stood up from his chair to investigate, Mosaic taking advantage of his absence and pulling his plate to the floor so he, Lumine, and Scout could eat the rest of the slice of cake. Shuichi approached the pictures, a smile creeping on his face when he saw one of the pictures was Hajime and Izuru as small children. Hajime was grinning brightly at whoever was taking the photo, Twist, who was still a Zigzagoon at the time, held tightly in his arms. Izuru wasn’t smiling but wasn’t frowning either. He held a shiny Axew in his arms, obviously his Haxorus in its earliest form.

“Curious?” Shuichi flinched when he heard Nagito’s voice from right behind him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to snoop. It looks like Izuru was never one for smiling, though.”

“No, but that’s alright. He cares about us in his own, unique way,” Nagito replied. “Last week, Hajime tried experimenting with flambé and Izuru was the one who prevented the kitchen from burning down.”

“Wait, Izuru lives here too?”

“Yes,” Nagito responded, still smiling. “You can’t truly separate twins. As Hajime likes to say: ‘from the womb to the tomb.’”

“Izuru always excelled at academics while Hajime excelled at social relations,” Chiaki explained. “If the former didn’t have the latter, I think he’d turn into a shut-in.”

“But doesn’t it get crowded with four people in the house?” Shuichi questioned. “And Nagito and Hajime are going to be a married couple. Wouldn’t you two want some privacy?”

“We like having Izuru and Chiaki here,” Nagito insisted. “We all look out for each other. Each of us offers something to the family that the others don’t have.”

Shuichi turned back to the picture frames on the table. Beside the frame with the childhood photo of Hajime and Izuru was a very different photo. This one was of Nagito and Hajime; the former was lying in a hospital bed, the telltale wire of an IV in his arm, and the latter was embracing Nagito. Both were smiling, but it wasn’t toward the camera; in fact, when Shuichi looked closer, he could see their faces were red from crying.

“What happened here?” he asked, pointing to the photo.

“Oh,” said Nagito, “that was the day I tried to commit suicide.”

Shuichi mentally heard glass shattering. Whatever answer he had expected for the photo, _that_ had definitely not been it. Nagito attempted suicide and they happily framed memories of the incident and presented it for all to see? 

“I… I don’t understand,” Shuichi stammered.

“I had a lot of issues in high school,” Nagito admitted. “I had low self-esteem, negative self-image problems, I was participating in a lot of self-harm—”

“You’re rambling,” Chiaki gently interrupted him.

“Sorry. Remember when I talked about how you weren’t thinking about the future when you were in your depressive state?” he asked Shuichi. “I said that because I knew how you felt.”

“You said without Doctor Gekkogahara’s counseling you would have killed yourself years ago,” said Shuichi. “I didn’t realize that meant you already tried.”

“I wasn’t thinking about the future. I wasn’t thinking about what I was throwing away when I tried to kill myself. At the time, I had never been happier than when I realized I failed.” He pointed to the framed image of himself in the hospital. “That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to help you when Kaede said you were unresponsive. I wanted to intercept your thoughts before they turned dark. I couldn’t forgive myself if the world lost your shining hope to the clutches of despair.”

With that revelation, Shuichi found himself reflecting on his own relationships with his friends. Kaede went looking for those she knew could help when he fell into depression. She and Kaito were the ones who befriended him in high school and helped him come out of his shell. Tenko was the one who demanded he toughen up, so he would be able to face future battles with his Pokémon. Kiyo was the one who chronicled interesting stories of the past that helped him investigate in Alola. Rantaro imparted useful advice; Keebo always offered a helping hand; and Maki was a stalwart, immovable force in the most dire situations. He couldn’t have asked for a better group of friends.

“How about we discuss something more upbeat?” Nagito suggested, taking Shuichi by the hand and leading him back to the table. He offered a clean plate since Shuichi’s old one had been licked clean and was lying on the floor. “What are your opinions about the flavors so far?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to try any?” Chiaki inquired. “This is for your wedding.”

“If you don’t care for sweet things, maybe try a flavor that’s more tart,” Shuichi recommended. “How about lemon?”

“We don’t have lemon,” Nagito revealed. “But here, try this.” He placed a slice of strawberry layer cake on Shuichi’s new plate.

“You’re getting married on Christmas, right? If you go with the strawberry cake, it could be a variation of Christmas cake,” Shuichi remarked.

“What a great idea! We’re having two smaller cakes instead of one large one, and some plainer cupcakes for anyone who doesn’t like the cake flavors.”

“Wow, how many people are expected to be attending?”

“Oh, I lost count,” Nagito replied dismissively. “We’re just trying to cover all our bases.”

“You’re not going please everyone, Nagito,” said Chiaki. “Some of them are just going to have to deal with.”

“But I want everyone to have a good time!” Nagito insisted.

“You and Hajime have put so much effort into this party, if any of the guests don’t have a good time, that’s their fault, not yours.”

Shuichi was too caught up in the conversation and didn’t notice Mosaic snag his slice of cake until it was too late. He lightly hit the Silvally in the side of the head, not that Mosaic noticed. He was too busy scarfing down the cake, tongue licking the edges of his beak several times to make sure he got every crumb.

“I’d say the strawberry cake is a winner,” Nagito laughed. He jotted something down on a small pad of paper while Shuichi went to get a new plate since his second one was covered in Mosaic’s saliva.

The three and their Pokémon turned their heads when they heard the door open and shut. Hope and Joy went scampering for the front door, happily greeting Hajime as he walked through the living room to the kitchen table.

“Hello everyone,” Hajime greeted, kissing Nagito on the cheek. “How’s the cake-tasting going?”

“We’ve decided on strawberry for one of them, based on Mosaic’s opinion,” Nagito answered. 

“Yeah, but at some point, I’d _love_ to actually get to eat a piece!” Shuichi snapped. Mosaic snorted in response, like he was laughing at his trainer’s predicament.

“Actually, Shuichi, I had something I needed to ask you,” said Hajime.

Curious about what Hajime needed from him, Shuichi pushed his chair back and followed Hajime back into the living room. The second Shuichi stood up, Mosaic investigated his plate to try and steal a slice of cake again, only to be disappointed when one wasn’t there. 

“What did you want to ask me?” Shuichi asked.

“One of your friends has a boat, right? He travels for his family’s business?” Hajime asked.

“Yes,” Shuichi affirmed. “Rantaro Amami. But… don’t you guys have a boat too?”

Hajime sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I love Kazuichi like a non-Izuru brother, but he can be a bit of a flake sometimes. I need something delivered in time for the wedding. It’s Nagito's gift. Do this for me and I’ll put your name on it too.”

_Well, that would solve that problem._ “What’s the gift?”

“A Pokémon from Kalos. I arranged its capture weeks ago and they’ve contacted me that it’s ready to be picked up.”

“And transfer machines won’t work unless you trade a different Pokémon for it,” Shuichi finished, realizing the situation.

“Exactly,” Hajime nodded. “I have nothing to offer in the trade and I’m not about to capture a random Pokémon and send it across the continent. I was going to have it shipped in its Pokéball, but because the end of year holidays are coming up, it might be delayed. So, I was going send Kazuichi, but then I remembered you mentioning your traveling friend. Please, could you convince him to go to Kalos and pick it up? I can offer compensation for the trip.”

“I’m sure Rantaro would be happy to do it— and trust me, he doesn’t need compensation. It would be a drop in the bucket for him. Maybe just write him a thank you letter. He’ll appreciate the sentiment a lot more than money.”

*

The next couple of weeks just seemed to fly by for Shuichi. The training sessions at the Bureau branch continued to go well, he kept his appointments with Dr. Gekkogahara, he returned to the detective agency (much to the delight of his coworkers), and he was regularly spending time with his friends once more. Life had returned to (relative) normalcy, as if there wasn’t an impending danger that could leap out of a rip in the sky at any moment.

But he pushed those thoughts aside with ever-growing confidence. 

With every training session came more and more successes. Mosaic was stable through each element change and revealed an amazing ability to use multiple powerful attacks. With each move successfully learned, all Shuichi could think about was how damn grateful he was that Mosaic didn’t know these moves when Shuichi first found him. Otherwise, the young detective would have been ripped to shreds in an instant. Both Lumine and Scout were faring well with their new movesets. Lumine’s Rock-type attacks became stronger and more intimidating. Scout now had access to Water-type moves, as well as some Ice-type attacks such as Aurora Beam and Ice Beam.

But today wasn’t a day to be thinking about Junko, Necrozma, and training sessions. Today was Christmas Day, and Nagito and Hajime were getting married.

“I want you to text me every hour,” Jiro adjusted Shuichi’s blue and gold-striped tie, the very tie Tsumugi had picked out for him for Kaede’s concert.

“Uncle Jiro, there’s probably no safer place than being surrounded by the Kuzuryu Clan,” Shuichi tried to assure him. “They won’t let anything happen to me.”

Jiro scoffed. “The last time you went anywhere with them, you ended up in a cargo hold on your way to Alola.”

“Well, the wedding isn’t at the docks. We’re not even going to be close to the water. It’s at a country club on the city outskirts. I’ll be back tonight; I won’t disappear to an island chain.”

Uncle Jiro heaved a sigh but ceased his fussing. He was grateful towards Nagito and Hajime helping Shuichi get in contact with his new therapist, but he still didn’t trust their local yakuza clan. He really didn’t want his nephew going to this wedding, but Shuichi insisted. Aunt Ayame, on the other hand, looked overjoyed at the prospect of Shuichi attending the wedding. She was eagerly snapping pictures of Shuichi in his suit, despite already having photos from the night of Kaede’s concert.

“I still want you to text me,” Jiro stated firmly. “And take your Pokémon with you."

“Okay,” Shuichi relented, “and Pokémon are welcome to the reception. Nagito insisted.” He glanced down at his phone to check the time. “We should probably get going. The ceremony is supposed to begin in two hours and we still need to pick up Kaede.”

Jiro mumbled something under his breath, most likely related to his distaste with the wedding. Despite this, he didn’t object as he and Shuichi climbed into the car. Shuichi took care not to wrinkle his suit. He didn’t know exactly who was going to be attending the wedding, but given Fuyuhiko, Peko, and Izuru wore expensive, elegant clothing as their everyday outfits, he assumed the guests were going be adorned in their best. He couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated, before shaking himself out of those thoughts. He was friends with several of the Kuzuryu Clan members; they wouldn’t care what he wore. Besides, if he was anxious, Kaede would pick up on it and become anxious herself.

“Hello!” Kaede waved from her front door as the car pulled up. Shuichi couldn’t help but feel a blush creep up his neck at the sight of her in her concert dress.

“Are you as excited as I am?” Kaede asked as she climbed into the back seat. “I had Rantaro do my makeup again—but not too elaborate! It’s a rule of conduct that you cannot be prettier than the bride at her wedding.”

“Kaede, they’re both men,” he replied. “And I think the only person prettier than Nagito is Rantaro… and maybe Kiyo,” Shuichi muttered under his breath, the blush exploding over his cheeks when Kaede giggled, which meant she heard him.

The buildings became smaller and more spaced out as the car approached the city outskirts. Out here, more and more of the wilderness took over the land, wild Pokémon visible for split seconds as they drove by. Finally, they came to a large, ornate, metal gateway, the long, twisting driveway beyond it leading to the main building of the country club. Even from the distance, Shuichi could see multiple cars driving up to the building and small shapes of people on the lawn.

“Hello?” Jiro pressed the talk button on the transceiver. “I have some guests for the…” He turned to Shuichi and whispered, “What are their last names?”

“There’s a camera, just show them this,” Shuichi handed the invitation to his uncle, who held it up to the camera lens on the transceiver. After a few moments, the gate opened and allowed them through.

“Look at this place,” Kaede said in awe. “How much do you think club members pay for their memberships?”

“More than I’d ever hope to make,” Jiro replied. He pulled up to the front entrance of the main building. A valet began to approach the car, but Jiro waved them off. “Remember to text me!” he called after his nephew as Shuichi climbed out of the car and opened Kaede’s door for her.

“Your uncle’s paranoid,” Kaede remarked. 

“Can you blame him?” Shuichi responded. “Like he said to me earlier: the last time I went somewhere with the Kuzuryu Clan, I ended up in Alola.”

As the car pulled away, Shuichi took in a deep breath and extended his elbow to Kaede, who wrapped her arms around his bicep and pressed close to his body. The blush was back in full-force, but Shuichi managed to keep his wits about him as they entered the main building. Immediately in front of them was the reception desk, but a helpful sign pointed them immediately in the direction they needed to go.

**Hinata-Komaeda Wedding  
Guests please enter the atrium for the ceremony**

Placards posted on the corners of the hall indicated the atrium was at the back of the main building. Shuichi and Kaede could hear excited voices echo down the hall as they followed the placards, emerging into an immense, open room with a glass ceiling. For a split second, Shuichi was reminded of the conservation area of Aether Paradise and almost panicked, but the edge of the atrium opposite the main building had several arched windows offering a spectacular view of the rest of the country club’s land. 

“Greetings, may I see your invitation?” A young woman with red hair and gray eyes approached the pair, her voice friendly but firm.

“Yes, of course.” Shuichi reached into his pocket and presented the invitation. The woman read over the invitation and handed it back.

“Welcome, Shuichi Saihara and guest. The ceremony will be beginning in a little over an hour. The seating is assigned, so don’t worry about finding good seats.”

“I’m sorry, but are you one of the clan members?” Shuichi asked.

“Mahiru Koizumi,” she introduced herself. “I’ve heard many things about you.” 

A couple more guests emerged from the hallway and diverted her attention, so Shuichi and Kaede took this chance to explore the atrium. The floor was mostly taken up by the two groups of chairs, the procession aisle to the trellis between the two groups. The trellis itself was decorated with white calla lilies; in fact, the color scheme of the entire wedding was white, silver, and pale blue. 

Shuichi recognized some of the other guests, such as Sonia and Gundam, but many more of them were strangers. He didn’t know how many members the Kuzuryu Clan had, especially since he had yet to meet all of them, but something told him not all these people were yakuza. Kaede was nearly bouncing with excitement, her grip causing his arm to go numb. People were mingling with one another in small crowds all over the atrium, taking care to keep out of the procession aisle since there were small blue petals already strewn across the path. Shuichi felt awkward just standing there, but he didn’t want to butt into anyone’s conversation.

“I see flowers, but it’s Christmas: do you think they have mistletoe?” Kaede smirked.

“Um… how about we find our seats?” Shuichi suggested, ignoring her insinuation. 

The chairs were white with small cards on the seats indicating whose seat it was. Shuichi recognized some of the names and was surprised to see others with the same surnames, meaning some of the clan members’ family were in attendance as well. He and Kaede found their seats near the center of the right group of chairs, one chair designated as Shuichi’s by name while the other simply said “guest”. As long as no one tall sat in front of them, they would be able to see the entire ceremony without any issues.

The other guests began to trickle into their seats, some of them urged to do so by Mahiru. Now that, allegedly, all the guests had arrived, she had traded her usher duty for an expensive-looking camera hanging from a strap around her neck. She grabbed a nervous-looking young man with light brown hair and bags under his eyes by the shoulders and forcibly steered him to his seat. Once he was in place, she turned her attention to an energetic woman with multi-colored bangs, nearly having to chase her down.

“Shuichi!” Sonia and Gundam settled into their seats in front of Kaede and Shuichi. “It feels like it has been forever since we have spoken. How has life been treating you?”

“Who is this maiden of light?” Gundam asked, nodding at Kaede.

“This is my friend, Kaede Akamatsu,” Shuichi introduced her. “She’s my plus one. Kaede, this is Sonia and Gundam; they’re both members of the Kuzuryu Clan.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Kaede.

“Gundam owns the Pokémon Daycare,” Shuichi revealed. “He’s a very successful Pokémon Breeder.”

Before any of them could say anything else, a man stepped under the trellis and music started playing, indicating the ceremony was about to begin. Kaede squealed quietly, nearly falling out of her chair as she twisted to look behind her, eager to see the procession members. Shuichi nearly choked when he saw Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi walking down the center aisle. Wasn’t it usually a male-female pair? Kazuichi was wearing a suit and had his wild, pink mane of hair partially tamed to be presentable. Once they reached the trellis, Kazuichi stepped to right while Fuyuhiko went to the left. Next came Izuru and Chiaki, who, unlike Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi, had linked arms and didn’t seem to mind walking together. Chiaki looked awake for once and was very attractive in her outfit, but Shuichi had only seen her half-asleep and in her pajamas, so he didn’t have much to compare to. Izuru joined Kazuichi on the right (who visibly took a half-step away in discomfort) while Chiaki stepped to the side with Fuyuhiko.

The music changed in tone as Hajime stepped up to the procession aisle, a woman Shuichi didn’t recognize linking arms with him. She had long dark hair styled into a braided bun and red eyes, but they were a subtle shade of red, not intense like Izuru’s. Was she the twins’ mother? Hajime had never mentioned his parents, but he and Izuru were grown men and lived on their own. Maybe their parents weren’t local, but of course they would be guests at their son’s wedding. Once the pair reached the trellis, the woman wound her arms around Hajime’s shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug before taking a seat at the front. 

Finally, Nagito stepped up to the aisle, a man who greatly resembled Hajime meeting him. Shuichi knew it was traditional for the father to “give away” the bride at the wedding, but this was a same-sex wedding. Did this have the same meaning? Hajime had walked with his mother, so why wasn’t Nagito walking with one of his parents? The man looked too much like Hajime to not be related. The man offered his arm to Nagito, who linked it with his own.

“Is that his father?” Kaede whispered to Shuichi.

“Nagito’s parents died before he entered high school,” Sonia answered in a whisper instead, slightly turning her head to address Shuichi and Kaede. “The Hinatas accepted him as a third son when he and Hajime started dating.”

That made sense. Nagito’s parents weren’t here to attend the wedding and Hajime’s family had accepted him as one of their own. Nagito looked like he was about to pass out from either excitement or terror, or maybe both. He stumbled slightly but Hajime’s father kept him from falling, keeping a firm grip on his new son-in-law until he delivered him to the trellis, handing him off to Hajime before taking the seat next to his wife. Nagito and Hajime were wearing matching black suits, the only difference being the white flower in Hajime’s lapel and the blue flower in Nagito’s. The man under the trellis must have been the civil authority marrying them. He spoke up in a voice that carried across the room, welcoming everyone to this momentous occasion in joining Hajime and Nagito, the latter of whom was already crying.

Kaede grabbed Shuichi’s arm and hugged it tightly, not taking her gaze off the pair. Shuichi surrendered himself to his embarrassed blush for what felt like the hundredth time that day alone. He didn’t know exactly when he developed his crush on Kaede, but it was definitely during high school. However, they were such close friends, he was scared to become a couple. If something went wrong, they couldn’t go back to being just friends; it would be too awkward. He didn’t want to lose Kaede’s friendship and would rather keep what they have than risk losing it. Still, it was hard to suppress his desire to treat her like a romantic partner— and her constantly hugging him today wasn’t helping. 

When prompted, Hajime turned to Izuru, who handed him the rings. Kazuichi had a pout on his face, hinting he had wanted to be the best man. Izuru shot a glare at him, prompting him freeze up and avert his gaze. Nagito was shaking so badly he was having difficulty sliding Hajime’s ring onto his finger. Chiaki stepped to his side and gripped his arm at the elbow, helping steady him.

“He could have at least worn a veil,” Kaede muttered to herself. “And he doesn’t have a bouquet.”

“Kaede, they’re doing things differently,” Shuichi whispered back.

The guests stood and applauded when the newly-married couple kissed, Nagito latching himself to Hajime and hiding his face in his husband’s neck. Hajime had to wrap an arm around Nagito and support him as they walked down the procession aisle, Fuyuhiko, Kazuichi, Chiaki, and Izuru following them out of the atrium.

With the married couple departed, the guests were instructed to proceed upstairs to the ballroom, where the reception was taking place. A steady stream of people exited the atrium and climbed the double-wide staircase near the entrance of the main building. Fuyuhiko stood in the doorway to the ballroom, welcoming each guest as they passed through and encouraging them to release their Pokémon from their Pokéballs, if they had any.

“I recognize you,” Fuyuhiko said when Shuichi and Kaede approached him. “You were that girl who stumbled into our courtyard trying to find Nagito.”

“Kaede Akamatsu,” she introduced herself. “Sorry about that incident, I was desperate to find help for Shuichi.”

“We’ve had worse introductions,” Fuyuhiko shrugged in disinterest. “Please release your Pokémon from their Pokéballs so they can enjoy the party too.”

The ballroom had an open dance floor in the center with a podium on one edge. The rest of the room was occupied by several tables, decorated with vases of the white calla lilies and the blue flowers whose petals had decorated the procession aisle, which Shuichi now recognized as forget-me-not. The tables had white tablecloths with silver trim and small place cards to assign seating to each guest. The guests spread out in the larger space, now accompanied by their Pokémon. If Shuichi had thought the conservation area of Aether Paradise had the largest diversity of Pokémon he had ever seen, the sheer variety present in the ballroom blew that thought out of the water. 

Kaede released her Pokémon, the four looking around curiously. Shuichi released Lumine and Scout right away but hesitated with Mosaic. He gripped the Silvally’s Pokéball tightly, glancing around at the amount of guests and Pokémon. Would Mosaic be okay being around so many strangers? Would he be able to stay calm?

“He’ll be fine,” Kaede urged him, “and you’ll be able to tell when he starts becoming stressed.”

She had a point, and besides, he didn’t want to leave Mosaic out of the festivities. The Silvally emerged from the flash of light, looking around with more caution than Shuichi’s other Pokémon had, but once he saw Shuichi, he calmed down and dutifully took his place by his trainer’s side.

From the throng of people, Peko approached Kaeda and Shuichi with two bags, one in each hand. She scrutinized Alba for a moment before turning to Spooky.

“Male or female?” she asked, gesturing to the Mimikyu.

“Female,” Kaede answered.

Peko set the two bags down on the floor and sorted through one of them, picking out a pink ribbon. She kneeled and wrapped it around the neck of Spooky’s disguise, expertly tying it into a bow. She moved onto Cloud, asking for his gender, and picking out a black bowtie from the other bag. She tied it around his slender neck, then fixed an identical bowtie around Cy, not needing to ask for his gender since he was clearly a male Meowstic.

“I can see why she skipped Alba,” Kaede remarked, indicating the Sylveon’s natural bows and ribbons.

Once Kaede’s Pokémon were adorned, Peko turned her attention to Lumine, Scout, and Mosaic. The former two accepted their bowties without a fuss, but Peko paused when she approached Mosaic with his bowtie. The Silvally sniffed at the bowtie, glancing at Scout and Lumine before sitting down and allowing Peko to fix the bowtie around his neck.

“How cute!” Kaede squeaked as Peko collected the two bags and walked away to a new group of Pokémon.

“I wonder whose idea this was,” said Shuichi. 

“Does it matter?” Kaede hugged Spooky tightly, readjusting her pink ribbon.

“Are you ready to rock!?” The loud voice caused Kaede and Shuichi to flinch. The girl with the multicolored bangs had climbed onto the dancefloor’s podium with a Kricketune and Exploud.

“Ibuki!” Mahiru scolded, rushing through the crowds to pull her down from the podium. “I’ve told you countless times you’re _not_ tonight’s musical entertainment.”

“But we need to get this crowd pumpin’! Let’s form a mosh pit!”

All attention was refocused to the entrance as Hajime and Nagito entered the ballroom to a thunderous applause. It looked like Nagito had calmed down after nearly losing himself during the ceremony. The two were now accompanied by their Pokémon, each one adorned in the same pink ribbons and black bowties Peko was still handing out. The crowd parted to let them through and they took their seats at a long table on the far side of the ballroom in front of the large windows. Hajime’s parents approached the pair, Nagito jumping back out of his seat and hugging his new mother-in-law.

“Shuichi!” someone called out. 

Shuichi and Kaede started looking around, trying to find whoever had recognized them. A small figure pushed their way through the crowd of people, excitedly running up to the pair.

“Chihiro?” Indeed, the young man from Alola was a guest at the wedding. “Are you here alone?”

“No, Mondo and Taka are around.”

“What about Aoi, Yuta, and Sakura?” Kaede asked.

“Unfortunately, the position of Kahuna holds great responsibility. They couldn’t leave the islands, but they had us bring their presents and warm regards.”

“How has it been on the islands? Has the Keala family been stirring up trouble? Have there been any signs of Junko or Monokuma returning?”

“No,” Chihiro replied. “But I don’t know much about how the Ultra Wormholes work. That’s Nagisa’s specialty, and he hasn’t sent out an alert.”

Mahiru began sweeping through the crowd, trying to disperse the guests into their seats. Shuichi wasn’t sure if she was the wedding planner or just liked being in charge, but he decided not to incur her wrath all the same. Nagito must have indeed favored him, because his and Kaede’s seats were at one of the tables closest to the long table, which was now seated by Hajime, Nagito, Hajime’s parents, Izuru, Fuyuhiko, and Peko, who was apparently done fancifying everyone’s Pokémon. Shuichi had to stifle a snort of laughter when he spied Fuyuhiko’s Salamence, a black bowtie fixed around its neck. It didn’t look happy with its garment but appeared to be putting up with it.

“I’d like to thank you all for coming,” Hajime stood up from his chair, his voice silencing the chatter from the attendees. “I’m happy we could have you all here with us to celebrate this momentous occasion. Nagito, when you and I met in high school… you sorta pissed me off.”

Nagito smiled and shrugged his shoulders but didn’t deny nor confirm his statement, which earned a chuckle from their audience.

“I didn’t understand half the stuff running through your head, but I’m thankful for the half I do understand. When I learned about your homelife and your emotional state, I pitied you. But you didn’t want me to pity you, you wanted me to _understand_ you. Now, I think I do.”

Hajime turned to Izuru, who handed him a small box the size of his palm. Hajime opened the box and pulled out a Luxury Ball, holding it up so everyone could get a good look at it.

“Nagito, from Shuichi and myself, we cherish you.”

He threw the Luxury Ball into the air, the flash of light revealing a Carbink. Nagito let out a strange sound of excitement, jumped out his chair, and scrambled around the table to hug his new Pokémon. Hope and Joy followed him, curiously investigating the Carbink. Shuichi blinked at the sight of the Rock/Fairy, realizing Hajime never actually told him what Pokémon Nagito was being gifted. In the end, it didn’t really matter; Nagito looked happy.

Servers began weaving between the tables, delivering meals to guests and distributing menus for drinks. Nagito sat back down in his chair, still tightly holding his new Carbink. Thanks to its rocky body, the Pokémon didn’t seem to mind. With dinner underway, Shuichi turned his attention to the conversations happening among his tablemates, which included Sonia, Gundam, the nervous young man who Mahiru had shoved into a chair during the ceremony, who told them his name was Ryota, and a woman with choppy, dark hair who wouldn’t stop fidgeting and introduced herself as Mikan. The name seemed vaguely familiar to Shuichi, who realized he had heard Fuyuhiko mention her on the night Mosaic was taken. He had told Nagito to contact Mikan to help with Izuru’s leg. Shuichi tried to engage to her in conversation, but she shied away the second he raised his voice. Ryota was a little more open to dialogue, although he did mumble a lot.

 _Is that what I was like in high school?_ he wondered. 

Mosaic tried to steal bits and pieces of his dinner, prompting Shuichi to shove his nose away again and again. There were specially-prepared meals for the Pokémon, which Lumine and Scout were happily devouring, but Mosaic was more interested in Shuichi’s food.

“Okay, stop it,” Shuichi snapped after Mosaic managed to snag the bit of food he had on his fork. “If you lie down and behave yourself, I’ll give you two slices of cake.”

That appeared to do the trick. Mosaic sighed and stretched out on the floor, curving his body so he was a barrier preventing anyone from approaching Shuichi, except for a waitress delivering a platter of Poké Puffs. Ryota picked one out and gave it to the Goomy sitting on his lap. Mikan also picked one out, handing it to her Chansey, who was surprisingly a lot more open and cheerful than she was. A Spiritomb materialized behind Sonia alongside her two Escavalier, who flanked her on either side like they were royal guards. But, most mystifying of all, Gundam picked up a handful of the Poké Puffs only for a Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, and Dedenne to emerge from his baggy clothing and each claim one of the treats for themselves. Shuichi paused in his eating to stare in confusion at the sight, before shrugging it off. With everyone else’s Pokémon fed, Kaede picked up the platter and set it on the floor so her and Shuichi’s Pokémon could help themselves.

“They didn’t have that many groomsmen and bridesmaids in the ceremony,” Shuichi commented., trying to make conversation.

“After choosing the four who participated in the bonding ceremony, the remaining options fell to squabbling amongst themselves,” Gundam responded. “It was decided it would be better to keep the four who did not raise a fuss, and to keep the number even between them.”

“Why didn’t you two be a groomsman and a bridesmaid?” Kaede asked.

“My dark aura would have blinded the guests from seeing the pure lights of Nagito and Hajime,” Gundam explained in his weird way.

“Gundam’s shy,” Sonia stated. “And as he said, they wished to keep the number participating in the ceremony even between them.”

Ripples of loud applause drew their attention to one of the doors of the ballroom. A short, plump man with a curly pompadour was pushing a cart with the two cakes. He was accompanied by an Ambipom carrying multiple trays with the cupcakes Nagito had mentioned would be prepared for those who didn’t like the cake flavors, as well as a… Paras? Shuichi recognized the Paras sitting on the man’s head as the one Hajime recruited in moving Mosaic.

“Teruteru’s an amazing chef,” said Sonia. “He discovered if he diluted Paras’ spore attacks, they could be made into spices and seasonings.”

“How did he figure that out?” Kaede asked.

“We tend not to pry into his personal business,” Ryota mumbled.

Mosaic let out a short bark, alerting Shuichi that someone was standing behind him. He turned in his chair to see Nagito and Hajime, the former still holding his Carbink.

“Shuichi told us you’re a very talented pianist,” Hajime said to Kaede. “Well, I don’t know if you noticed the grand piano in the corner—”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence before Kaede leapt out of her chair and nearly sprinted for the piano, her Pokémon abandoning their meals to follow her (except Cloud, who tucked a couple Poké Puffs into his cotton-like wings for safe keeping). 

“She didn’t need a lot of convincing,” Hajime remarked.

“To play the piano?” Shuichi chuckled. “She’s more than happy to.”

“What a beautiful way to express her hope to the world,” said Nagito.

The dulcet tones of the piano filled the room. Shuichi glanced at Kaede and noticed, despite the distance, the serene look on her face as she fell into the music. With her wearing the same dress, he almost felt like he was back in the concert hall, listening to her play that piano with all her heart and soul. Mosaic let out a pleased-sounding rumble. In that moment, Shuichi remembered the promise Kaede made that same night. She had promised Mosaic she would play for him one day, and it looked like today was that day. Music truly does soothe the savage beast.

The chatters of conversation died down as everyone listened intently to Kaede’s music. Mikan stopped fidgeting and raised her head, staring in the direction of the piano. Shuichi thought she looked nice when she didn’t appear to be terrified of nothing. Hajime’s parents were excitedly whispering to each other, nodding in Kaede’s direction. In contrast to their pleased expressions, Izuru’s face was blank of any emotion.

“He doesn’t seem… all that happy,” Shuichi said to Hajime, gesturing toward Izuru.

“Don’t worry,” Hajime assured him, “he’s content. I know it’s hard to tell, but I’ve spent my whole life with him. This is about as happy as he gets.”

Mosaic pushed himself to his feet and gently gripped the shoulder of Shuichi’s suit in his beak, trying to pull his trainer in the direction of the cakes. Remembering the promise he made, Shuichi stood up and started walking towards the cart. Teruteru was cutting pieces from both cakes (Nagito and Hajime hadn’t shown any interest in the cutting the cakes themselves) and leering at anyone who didn’t flee with their desserts right away.

“Oh,” Hajime grabbed Shuichi by the shoulder, “and whatever you do, don’t get caught alone with Teruteru ‘cause he’ll probably molest you. Just stay close to Izuru; Teruteru’s afraid of him.”

The two cakes Nagito’s “discussion committee” decided upon were a strawberry layer cake with vanilla buttercream icing and an apple-cinnamon cake with caramel frosting. Shuichi was assaulted by the delicious aromas of both the instant he was near the cart. He opened his mouth to request a slice from each cake, but he was interrupted before he could say anything.

“Oh ho!” Teruteru grinned lecherously. “How may I titillate your taste buds?”

_…What?_

“Don’t be shy, my long-lashed darling,” Teruteru quickly invaded Shuichi’s personal space. “Just tell me what I can do to pleasure your desires.”

Shuichi sputtered in shock, completely stumped on how to remedy this situation, short of running away and hiding in the bathroom. He was used to Miu’s dirty mind, but she wasn’t very physical, and she tended to back off the second her victim showed some backbone. Teruteru’s face suddenly drained and he took a step back. Shuichi heard a low growl from behind him and turned his head to see Mosaic had noticed his distress and had come to the rescue.

“Um, yes,” Shuichi collected his bearings, “I’d like two slices of each cake, please.”

“O-of c-c-course,” Teruteru stammered, quickly cutting the pieces and plating them with forks.

Shuichi balanced the plates in his hands retreated towards the piano. He set one slice of each cake on the floor for Mosaic and placed the slice of strawberry cake on the bench Kaede was sitting on.

“I brought you a piece of cake,” he announced.

“Thanks,” she replied, her fingers moving smoothly over the keys. “Looks like I’m part of the entertainment now. Do you think I’ll get tips?”

“You didn’t have to play, y’know,” Shuichi teased her.

“I go somewhere that has a piano and I _don’t_ play it? What a concept!” she teased back. “Could you feed me the cake?”

Shuichi nearly choked and swallowed the piece of cake in his mouth with tears pricking the corners of his eyes. “Excuse me!? Couldn’t you eat it once you’re done with the song?”

“I could, but it looks like Mosaic is almost finished with his pieces and I’m worried he’s going to steal mine.”

Shuichi looked down to the floor and saw she was right. Mosaic was in the middle of licking every crumb off the plates and was already eyeing Kaede’s piece. Shuichi sighed and sacrificed his half-eaten slice so Kaede could finish the song and still have her cake at the end.

“He’s going to get fat if he keeps that up,” she quipped, picking up her plate.

“He gets plenty of exercise at the training sessions.” Shuichi sat beside her on the bench now that her cake wasn’t occupying the space. Scout and Lumine wandered over and laid at Shuichi’s feet.

“Are you having a good time?” Kaede asked.

“Of course!” Shuichi insisted, worried she was mistaking his silence for boredom. “Did you ever think we would be here? Guests at a yakuza wedding?”

“A lot’s happened in the past few months. When did all of this begin?”

“I think it was the middle of July, when Nagito hired me to find his Vulpix.”

“It feels like forever ago.” She speared a piece of the strawberry cake on her fork and offered it to Shuichi, who stared in shock at what she was suggesting. “Don’t be shy! You had to give Mosaic your slice to save mine. The least I can do is share.”

“Um… not the same fork.” 

He compromised by pinching the piece off the fork and eating it with his fingers. To Kaede, it was better than nothing. After all, Shuichi could be dense sometimes. Maybe she could convince him to dance later. Maybe they’d brave the chill outside and sit on the lawn to look at the stars once the sun set. Tonight was a night of romance, not just for Nagito and Hajime, but that didn’t mean she was going to jump on the opportunity without Shuichi being comfortable with her advances.

She was still sort of upset there wasn’t any mistletoe around though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From what I’ve been told and what I’ve read, Christmas is celebrated in Japan, but it’s viewed as more of a romantic, couple’s holiday, while New Year’s is the family holiday (even though the city isn’t _technically_ in Japan, it is inspired by it). The next chapter has the characters celebrating New Year’s, so I thought it would be appropriate for the wedding to be on Christmas Day. The wedding clearly had “western” influences (which is what I’m most familiar with) but, as Kaede and the narrative mentioned, there were some deviations. 
> 
> I don’t know if you all saw the trailers for the new Pokémon games, but I NEED SCORBUNNY IN MY LIFE! If I like the story of the new games enough, I might write a sequel with the characters exploring the Galar Region.
> 
> I recently had a death in the family and will be away from my writings for a while visiting family and attending the memorial, so the next chapter may take three weeks to update. Or it might not. Who knows what the future will bring. Just letting you all know it might be a bit of a longer wait than normal.


	21. Empty Sky Broken Asunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mysterious strangers appear in the city and Shuichi must rely on his trust for Mosaic and DICE to prevent their plans from reaching fruition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmoem (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Pawniard, Marowak, Togetic  
> Angie Yonaga: Cutiefly, Smeargle, Cottonee, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Dartrix, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roselia (Rugosa), Zoroark (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Honedge, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Shinx, Aron  
> Tenko Chabashira: Combusken, Mienfoo  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Misdreavus, Litten, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Gloom, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy), Carbink  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Chiaki Nanami: Wigglytuff, Azumarill  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Ibuki Mioda: Kricketune, Exploud  
> Sonia Nevermind: Escavalier (x2), Spiritomb  
> Gundam Tanaka: Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, Dedenne  
> Mikan Tsumiki: Chansey  
> Ryota Mitarai: Goomy  
> Teruteru Hanamura: Paras, Ambipom  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc, Beartic, Ursaring  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo  
> Ace: Serperior

### 

Part 3: The Blinding One

### Chapter 21: Empty Sky Broken Asunder

Two strange individuals wearing clothing that wouldn’t be out of place in a sci-fi movie stalked through the alleyway, stepping out onto the wider street and marveling at the pure light of the sliver of crescent moon. Their skin was so pale it almost looked blue and appeared to glow in the light of the moon. But they weren’t here to admire the light of this world, a light their own home lacked since ancient times. They were here because they needed to find the one weapon that could neutralize the Blinding One. It was somewhere in this city.

“Hey!” a voice shouted at them, spooking and prompting them to wheel around, drawing strange weapons from holsters attached at their thighs.

A tall young man with blond hair, his bangs side-swept in front of his face, and wearing a white outfit with a checkered scarf and a clown mask had leapt out of the darkness to confront them, his Serperior coiling around him.

“You’re trespassing!” he said in an accusatory tone. “Go away before I summon the boss.”

“We are not looking to cause you harm,” one of the individuals spoke in a strange, clipped speech pattern. “We merely wish to retrieve a great weapon to protect your world and ours.”

“Weapon…” Side-swept repeated, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the pair, although they couldn’t see it from behind his mask. “Where are you from?”

“A place whose distance cannot be expressed in miles. We will be leaving you now. Our apologies for straying into ‘your territory;’ we were not aware.”

The two bid him farewell by waving in a stiff manner, almost drawing a rectangle in the air. Side-swept tilted his head slightly in confusion. The wave almost looked like the Alolan wave, as the boss had demonstrated for them after he returned from the islands, but it was too mechanical, too rigid. As if they were replicating it but not quite. 

Now that he took a closer look at the mysterious pair, it appeared one was male and the other female, but he could only base that judgement off their heights and the general shape of their bodies under their tight-fitted outfits. They turned in unison and marched away, their legs too stiff and their arms swinging like a military march. There was something about them that felt off; like, they _looked_ human but weren’t. Like they were trying to imitate human behaviors.

He needed to warn the boss.

*

What made Z-Moves different from Mega Evolution was how the energy was shared between the Pokémon and trainer. Shuichi felt the same energy Mosaic felt course through his body. He wondered if this was how it felt when Scout used Helping Hand on their allies in battle. Mosaic threw his head back and roared, his aura shifting across his body. He rushed toward the target set up on the other side of the battleroom, his feet digging into the ground and throwing pebbles into the air. The energy formed a cone visible to the naked eye around Mosaic’s body as he sprinted across the floor. The target was shattered into small pieces upon impact, forcing Shuichi and the others to take cover to avoid shards of wood raining down on them.

“Wow…” Shuichi exhaled, falling onto his backside as he tried to calm his racing heart. No matter how many times they performed a Z-Move, Shuichi was always in awe at the ferocity.

“Perfect hit,” Kyoko strode across the stone floor to where the target has previously stood. “He didn’t deviate or waver in his approach; it was a straight shot from his starting position to the target.”

“Nice to see all that cake hasn’t weighed him down,” Makoto snickered.

“That wasn’t my fault,” Shuichi argued. “Besides, he only ate three slices. He ate a lot more when I tasted samples with Nagito and Chiaki.”

Mosaic shook his head, his mane rustling back and forth. He observed Kyoko with a guarded look before strutting back to Shuichi’s side, well aware of how powerful he was. He was the Beast Killer, the weapon to stop Necrozma, and he demanded admiration.

“Hydro Vortex creates a super-whirlpool that sucks the opponent into the center and batters it relentlessly with torrential currents,” Kyoko explained. “Let’s test Scout’s power.”

As she stepped off the battlefield, Shuichi turned to the table Makoto had brought into the room, where all the Z-Crystals he and his friends had collected in Alola were spread out. He had visited Angie to borrow the crystals before coming here. When he explained what his intentions were and where he was going, she begged him to let her come so she could observe Lunala. She claimed she needed to witness the Pokémon’s movements to properly portray her power in the mural at the museum. Shuichi felt Angie’s sketch from the night she saw Lunala attack the traffickers’ ship was a good enough reference, but, apparently, he didn’t know art.

He didn’t know where Angie had disappeared to and only hoped she wasn’t causing too much chaos. With that thought, he sorted through the Z-Crystals until he found the Waterium Z and fixed it into the indent on his Z-Ring. Makoto and Kyoko set up several wooden poles in a random pattern on the battlefield and retreated to the sidelines. There weren’t any pools or streams in the battleroom, so Scout was going to need to summon the water himself.

Shuichi took a deep breath and clutched his Z-Ring in the opposite hand, feeling the energy within the Z-Crystals ripple through him. Scout’s aura intensified, causing his sleek fur to shimmer and glisten. A spout of water erupted from his mouth, twisting around his body like a serpent. The torrent grew and began winding itself into a circle, growing in power with each rotation. Soon, it became a giant whirlpool, ripping apart the wooden poles and pulling them into the center as Scout skipped across the surface of the water like he was an ice skater. The whirlpool wound itself tighter and tighter until it burst, showering the battleroom in a cascade of rain. By the time the attack was over, the wooden poles were in splinters and even some of the boulders had been shifted.

That was the fourth Z-Move they had completed today, and Shuichi felt utterly exhausted. He fell to the floor, panting harshly. The downside of sharing energy was how it drained humans, who weren’t capable of withstanding the amount of energy that pulsed through Pokémon regularly. 

“Let’s call it a day,” Makoto suggested. “Z-Moves weren’t meant to be used sequentially like this. We’re pushing the boundaries of what the human body can withstand.”

“We _need_ to be pushing the boundaries of what Shuichi and his Pokémon can withstand to be prepared for the fight against Necrozma,” said Kyoko, “but I do agree with you. Besides, New Year’s Eve is in two days. Let’s take a break for the holiday.”

“Thank you,” Shuichi gasped, struggling to his feet. Lumine came up beside him so his trainer could grip the stones in his mane and stand up.

The door to the battleroom opened and Angie was pushed through, Mukuro following right behind with a displeased expression. Angie smiled sheepishly and skipped over to the table where the Z-Crystals were.

“What did she do?” Shuichi asked Mukuro.

“Don’t be a meanie!” Angie scolded him, although she did so with a smile. “Why do you assume I did something wrong?”

“Not necessarily _wrong_ ,” said Mukuro. “More like… annoying.”

Angie stuck out her bottom lip in a pout and started sweeping the crystals into her bag. For some reason, it was unanimously decided she was the guardian of the Z-Crystals despite none of them discussing it. Miu had thought it was more logical for Shuichi, Kaede, and Kaito to divide the crystals evenly among them, since they were the ones who had Z-Rings, but her arguments fell on deaf ears. Angie was the closest thing to a priestess of the Tapu without actually being one. Since she was the most familiar with the Alolan legends and the importance of the Z-Crystals, they felt it was best she kept them close. In fact, she had Tsumugi make a special pouch to carry them around in.

“Can Lunala use Z-Moves?” Shuichi asked, genuinely curious about how powerful the Beast of Light was. He had only seen her in action the one time.

“I’ve never tried,” Mukuro replied. “She evolved while we were out in the hinterlands and I didn’t have any Z-Crystals. Besides, I don’t have a Z-Ring.”

“You could borrow mine,” Shuichi started slipping the ornament off his wrist, but Mukuro stopped him.

“That’s yours, don’t be so willing to part with it.”

“We will reconvene after holiday,” Kyoko told Shuichi. “Enjoy your time with your friends and family.”

Kyoko and Makoto left the battleroom, leaving behind Mukuro, Angie, Shuichi, and his Pokémon. Mosaic came up behind Mukuro and began grooming her hair with his beak-like mouth. Shuichi still wasn’t sure if Mosaic liked her because of the time they spent in the hinterlands, or if he had remnants of memories left over from his progenitors, her Pokémon. The latter was less likely, but he had learned not to dismiss something just because it seemed improbable. Pokémon could sense the world around them while they were inside their eggs, who was to say the memories from Mukuro’s Pokémon weren’t present inside Mosaic in some way?

“What are your plans for the holiday?” Mukuro asked.

“Rantaro’s family is throwing a biiiig party at their mansion,” Angie answered. “We’re all invited!”

“What about you, Mukuro?” Shuichi inquired. “Will you be spending the holiday with Makoto and Detective Kirigiri?”

“No,” Mukuro shook her head, “my only family in the world is… well, you met her. I’d rather spend the holiday alone than with her.”

Shuichi felt saddened by her answer. New Year’s was a family holiday and she didn’t have any family to spend it with. Even if Junko was still on this world, she was probably the last person Mukuro wanted to be around. Maybe Mukuro was used to being alone after living months in the hinterlands, so she wasn’t making a huge deal about her loneliness during the holiday, but, to Shuichi, there was an inherent wrongness about it.

“Mukuro,” Shuichi spoke, “if you have no one to spend New Year’s with, maybe you’d like to join us at Rantaro’s house?”

Mukuro tensed and stared at him, visibly swallowing. Shuichi immediately felt he overstepped some invisible boundary. He hoped he hadn’t offended her in some way— he did inadvertently mention Junko since he said Mukuro had no one to be with at the end of the year. Was it still a tender subject? Who was he kidding? If he had a sibling and they had committed the crimes Junko had, he would never want to mention them even in passing.

“Are you sure no one will mind?” Mukuro asked, shaking Shuichi out of his thoughts.

“Of course not!” Angie cheered, tightening the drawstring of her crystal bag. “We would love to have you.”

“Alright,” Mukuro shrugged. “If no one cares, then I’ll come.”

“O-okay,” Shuichi responded. He was happy she agreed to come; he didn’t want her to be alone, just like how he wished she would start seeing a therapist once Necrozma was defeated and Junko captured. Maybe he would be able to convince her it was in her best interest, like how Nagito had convinced him.

Shuichi pulled out a piece of paper from his messenger bag and scribbled down the address and the time the party was starting, handing the paper to Mukuro. With everything sorted out, Shuichi returned his Pokémon to their Pokéballs and gestured for Angie to exit with him. She pouted again, obviously wanting to stay and continue prodding Mukuro about Lunala, but she began to follow him out, dragging her feet. She started whistling a tune Shuichi didn’t recognize.

“Wait, Alolan,” Mukuro grabbed Angie by the shoulder, stopping her from leaving the battleroom.

“Is everything okay?” Shuichi halted in the doorway, turning to see why Mukuro had stopped Angie.

“Everything’s fine,” Mukuro answered. “You can leave; I just need to ask your friend something.”

Shuichi stared at them for a few moments, trying to figure if everything truly was okay. Angie didn’t look frightened by Mukuro, and the latter hadn’t yet offered a reason they couldn’t trust her. Shuichi nodded at Angie and turned to leave, disappearing down the hallway.

“What’s on your mind?” Angie asked.

“That melody… are you familiar with the sacred flutes?”

*

It was early afternoon when Shuichi exited the Bureau branch building. The chill in the air prompted him to pull his jacket more tightly around his body, stuffing his hands in his pockets. It wasn’t a far walk to the train station, so he wouldn’t be in the cold for too long. He started walking down the sidewalk, extending his stride to cover as much ground as possible. He was moving so fast, everything in his peripheral was a blur, until he passed by an alleyway and a stark white shape against the dingy gray-brown of the buildings forced him to stumble to a halt.

“Wha—?” he spun on the spot, facing the individual who was beckoning him from the alley. They were a DICE member, but not one he recognized right away. They were tall and clearly male, a blond goatee poking out from under their mask.

“Mister Detective?” the DICE member stated.

“Yes?”

“The boss wants to see you. He has something important to tell you.”

 _The boss?_ That could only mean one person. He hadn’t heard from Kokichi in months. Ever since returning from Alola, the boy had disappeared off the face of the map. Shuichi’s depressive state had prevented him from trying to track Kokichi down, then his training sessions with Detective Kirigiri took precedence. However, Kaito had revealed he tried to find Kokichi a couple times. He even spent a chilly night at the docks trying to see if DICE would show up, but they never did.

“What does he need to tell me?” Shuichi asked, stepping closer to the DICE member.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged in response. “Ace came back last night, and they discussed something in secret. The boss sent all of us out this morning to find you.”

“Which one is Ace?”

“The blond one with the bangs.” That sounded like Side-swept. It was nice to have an actual name to the face…er, mask… even if Ace was certainly a nickname or a codename, like Phantom Thief was for Kokichi. 

Perhaps someone would call Shuichi naïve or too trusting for willingly following this individual he barely knew, but Shuichi knew Kokichi wouldn’t hurt him. Maybe traumatize him a little with a cruel prank, but that was as far as he would go. After all, if Kokichi trusted him enough to reveal his true name, then Shuichi could trust him enough to meet up and receive whatever information the other boy had to offer.

The DICE member led Shuichi down the alleyway, where their path intersected with another alley running parallel against the back of the buildings. It made sense the DICE members mainly traversed the city through the alleys, since the white outfits and clown masks would draw too much attention. Still, traveling like this was too confusing. The DICE member led him through several twists and turns, and even through a construction site, giving little regard with walking along steel beams and through giant cement pipes. Eventually, the scent of salt water began to waft into the air, meaning they were near the coast. 

Shuichi almost assumed he was being led to the docks, but they were too far north to be at the docks. They emerged onto a street running along the coast, fairly empty of pedestrians and cars. The DICE member appeared more relaxed in the open space here, as he didn’t try to duck and hide like he had before. There was a building on this street, across from the open water. The salt water was causing some rusting of the stairs and metal doors, but the building itself didn’t looked dilapidated or unsafe. This was also their destination.

The DICE member didn’t go for the door, since there appeared to be a large padlock on it. Instead, he ducked under the metal stairwell and shifted aside a piece of particle board larger than Shuichi was, revealing a hole in the wall. They had to crouch to get through, but it wasn’t too much of a tight squeeze. Once inside, Shuichi recognized the building as a storage warehouse. There was probably some supplies company nearby who owned this building and used it to store their excess product. Unlike the warehouse he found the traffickers in, this one was well-maintained and clean. 

“Halt!” A figure with greenish-blond hair curling upward jumped down from a pallet of products, two Golbat swooping beside them. 

“Clover,” the DICE member spoke, “it’s me. I brought Mister Detective.”

“My name is Shuichi,” Shuichi tried to tell them, but they weren’t paying any attention to him. Maybe Mister Detective was the codename they assigned him, like how they all had codenames.

“The boss is expecting you,” said Clover. 

With that, Shuichi was led upstairs to a wide, open loftspace, empty of any product from downstairs. He wondered if it was like that when DICE claimed this warehouse as their base of operations or if they moved everything out. If the latter was the case, didn’t any of the workers from whichever company owned this warehouse notice? One corner of the loft was covered in wall hangings, blocking from view what he assumed might be a sleeping area. Did the DICE members live here? Did they not have homes? The only other items in the loft were a couple long chests arranged in a circle that also served as chairs, since there were DICE members sitting on them. At the head of the circle were a couple chests arranged into a throne, a familiar clown mask, hat, and cape combination was sitting atop the impromptu throne like a little king.

“Mister Detective!” Kokichi smoothly leapt off the throne and bounded across the floor, hugging Shuichi so tightly he pinned the detective’s arms to his sides.

“Hello Kokichi,” Shuichi returned the greeting. Several of the DICE members flinched in surprise, probably because he knew their boss’s real name. “I was told you had something to tell me?”

“Yes!” Kokichi released him and removed his mask, smirking playfully at him. “Your application for DICE membership has finally been processed!”

“…That can’t _possibly_ be why you’ve had me brought here.”

“Nee-hee-hee, good deductive skills! A lie for the private eye. Come this way.” Kokichi grabbed him by the hand and pulled him toward the circle, pushing him to stand in the center so he was surrounded by all ten DICE members. Kokichi climbed back onto his throne, signaling to Ace, the DICE member Shuichi previously mentally referred to as “Side-swept.”

Ace stood up from his seat, holding his sleeve-covered arms out in a grand gesture. “Last night, I came across two suspicious individuals.”

“Were they traffickers?” Shuichi asked.

Ace lifted his mask to show he was frowning. “Rude. Don’t interrupt!”

“Sorry,” Shuichi apologized sheepishly.

“They were wearing spacesuits, but the kind of spacesuits you’d see in sci-fi movie. They weren’t bulky or difficult to move in. They also had helmets with visors covering their eyes. Their skin was so pale it almost looked blue.”

“Blue skin!?” Shuichi interrupted again. 

“You and I both know one individual who matches that description,” said Kokichi.

“But Nagisa didn’t wear a spacesuit, he wore normal clothes with a lab coat. But these people must be related to him; they might be from his world. If Nagisa could travel through Ultra Space, I’m sure others could too.”

“Whoever these people are,” Kokichi’s voice took a grave tone, “they are not friends.”

“What do you mean?”

Kokichi gestured for Ace to continue his explanation. “They had guns and told me they were looking for a great weapon to protect our world and theirs. We assume the weapon is your Beast Killer.”

“Wait hold on,” Shuichi held out his hands to try and quell the chattering that rose among the DICE members. “Just because they’re looking for Mosaic doesn’t mean they’re enemies. They sound like they’re from Nagisa’s world: the world lost in darkness, the world Necrozma stole the light from. Mosaic is our weapon against Necrozma, but if all they want is to defeat Necrozma before it can cause more damage, then they might be allies since that’s what we want as well.”

“You’re forgetting a crucial piece of evidence, Mister Detective,” Kokichi’s smile crept up his face. “How did they know about Mosaic?”

Shuichi paused, Kokichi’s words sinking in. The only person from the world lost in darkness they knew was Nagisa, who came to their world to study the supposed remnants of Necrozma that were here. He never mentioned anyone else accompanying him, but that didn’t mean these newcomers were to be regarded with suspicion. 

“Nagisa and Chisa didn’t say Nagisa was capable of freely moving back and forth between our world and his,” Kokichi continued. “They only mentioned he came here two years ago; they never said he ever went back.”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Shuichi argued. “Just because they didn’t mention it doesn’t mean it wasn’t happening.”

Kokichi slumped a little on his throne, his fingers threading together. “Let’s take a look at the evidence and surmise two possible conclusions. One: Nagisa can travel between our world and his world and told his people about Mosaic’s existence. Thus, two individuals traveled through Ultra Space to come here to find Mosaic. Or two: Nagisa _can’t_ travel freely between worlds, but, somehow, his people know about Mosaic.”

“Maybe… maybe Nagisa has a method of communicating with them,” Shuichi struggled to come up with an answer. “Some sort of device with signals that can move through Ultra Space. He tells them about Mosaic to let them know there’s a weapon that can defeat Necrozma, and two of them came here because they wanted to see this weapon.”

“Then why aren’t they in Alola? Isn’t that where Ultra Wormholes tend to congregate?” Kokichi retorted. “Why are they here when Nagisa and Chisa are in Alola and could tell them everything they needed to know? The only reason they would come _here_ , looking for the weapon is…”

“If they wanted to take it,” Shuichi finished for him without thinking before snapping out of his thoughts. “No! That doesn’t mean anything!”

“You’re not very good at telling yourself lies,” said Ace. “If you can lie to yourself, you can lie to anyone.”

“I’m not lying to myself!” Shuichi snapped. “We can’t form a definite conclusion until we have all the evidence and we’re missing some pieces in the narrative!”

“If Nagisa can’t return to his world or communicate with his people, then how do they know about Mosaic, who wasn’t created until after Nagisa came here, and Nagisa didn’t even know about his creation? The answer?” Kokichi’s smile dropped off his face. “Someone else told them.”

Shuichi felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine. He knew what Kokichi was suggesting, but were the chances? There were countless other worlds connected by Ultra Space. What were the chances Junko and Monokuma ended up in the world lost in darkness? And why would she tell the inhabitants about the Beast Killer? To gain their support? 

“Look,” Shuichi ran a nervous hand through his hair, “we don’t know the whole story. Right now, I feel it’s best I alert Detective Kirigiri about these two strangers. Maybe Nagisa does know them. Maybe they’re scientists just like him, and all they want is to see Mosaic. We can’t know for certain. Just… let me know if you see them again.”

Kokichi frowned, pinching a strand of hair between his fingers and fiddling with it. “Fine. We’ll do your dirty work and keep an eye out for these freaks.”

“Thank you,” Shuichi exhaled a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. He was beginning to feel the same stress from when the traffickers were running rampant eating away at his stomach. “Oh! Um… I guess I never actually thanked all of you for your help in stopping the traffickers. So, thank you.”

The DICE members looked pleased. They had risked their own safety to save those Pokémon, endangering their very lives if they made a mistake and were caught. They didn’t have to do any of that, but they did anyway. They were vigilantes, and he had nothing but respect for them.

“Safe travels, Mister Detective,” said the DICE member who brought him to the warehouse.

“Thanks,” Shuichi bid the group farewell, slightly vexed about the hoops he had to jump through just to talk with them. Still, he wasn’t going to deny the help they were offering, and if he had to meet at a storage warehouse to talk, that was just something he needed to get used to.

Once he was out of the warehouse and back on the street, he pulled out his phone and looked up the street maps to find out where he was. Thankfully, despite the confusing path he was led on, it wouldn’t be too hard to get home if he stuck to the main roads. It wasn’t very late in the day, but since it was winter, the sun was already beginning to set, casting an orange veil across the sky. Shuichi took a moment to admire the sunset, wondering at the back of his mind if Solgaleo was somewhere in this world. Lunala was here, and like how Angie kept preaching, it would make sense for Solgaleo to be here too, right? They were counterparts; opposite but equal, one existing alongside the other.

He couldn’t help but wish he would experience what Angie did the night of the sinking ship. She got to see Lunala at her full power, absorbing the light of the full moon and using it to attack. Sure, he saw Lunala use Shadow Ball against Necrozma (and it was, no doubt, impressive) but he wanted to see the true power of a Legendary Pokémon. Maybe, Solgaleo would emerge beyond the horizon, glowing with the power of the sun—

He shook those thoughts from his head. He got to meet Lunala and a Victini in his lifetime, and that was more than most people would ever get to experience.

 _I should probably get home before Uncle Jiro starts to worry._ He quickly double-checked his location on the map, making a mental note of how many turns he would have to take before he was back on familiar streets, then pocketed his phone and set off. The warmth of the setting sun helped ward off the chill setting in his bones. He wondered if it was this cold in Alola… probably not.

Shuichi yelled when he was suddenly yanked off his feet and dragged into an alley. For a split second, he thought DICE was playing a prank on him and allowed himself to relax, but the sleeve on the arms gripping him were too tight, not baggy and loose like DICE’s outfits. Realizing this wasn’t a prank, Shuichi began to struggle and thrash, successfully breaking free from his attacker’s grasp. He spun to face them, one hand unclipping a Pokéball from his belt.

“Please, we do not wish to cause trouble.” They were exactly as Ace described them, but his description of their weapons as guns wasn’t exactly correct. The weapon looked like a gun but was sleek and rounded.

“You are the wielder of the Beast Killer?” said the woman.

“Who are you?!” Shuichi exclaimed. “Why are you here!?”

“People from the Ultra Megalopolis, we seek the Beast Killer to free our world from darkness.”

“And we’ll be able to do that,” Shuichi tried to reason with them. “We have an entire group of scientists, detectives, and fighters dedicated to finding Necrozma and neutralizing it. We’ll save your world, we promise!”

“We can’t trust you,” said the man, the arm holding up the gun never wavering. “The Beast Killer faced Necrozma before and you held it back. It could have all been over at that moment, but we still suffer in darkness and Necrozma roams free.”

Shuichi found himself facing two possibilities, both related to the conclusions Kokichi was drawing from what information they had. Either Nagisa contacted his people, through a device or physically, and told them about the confrontation with Necrozma, or Junko was in the world lost in darkness.

“The woman telling you these things,” he spoke calmly and carefully, trying not to aggravate the man holding a gun, “whatever she’s said, it isn’t true. She’s the one who summoned Necrozma to our world. The Beast Killer didn’t want to fight Necrozma; he _chose_ not to. We have the capability to defeat Necrozma, but you need to trust us, not Junko.”

The man readjusted his grip on the gun but didn’t lower it. 

“She’s a liar!” Shuichi insisted. “She’s a criminal and a liar. The only thing she wants is Necrozma’s power and she created the Beast Killer to control Necrozma. She won’t save your world! All she’ll do is destroy ours!”

“…She told us you’d say that.”

Shuichi didn’t register the pain right away. He was expecting a bullet, so when the projectile didn’t rip through his flesh and bone, he was confused about how the gun had harmed him. The pain washed over him, choking the scream that tried to rip its way out of his throat and dropping him to the ground. His right thigh felt like a red-hot iron fire poker was pressed against the skin. The fabric of his pants was smoking and smoldering, revealing a large patch of skin already scorched pink and blistering. The gun didn’t fire bullets, but it somehow burned his skin.

“We apologize,” the woman approached him, removing the Pokéball from his grasp and unclipping the other two from his belt. He laid on the ground, his breath coming in small tremors, preventing him from protesting as he watched her hold up his three Pokéballs.

“Which holds the Beast Killer?” the man asked, finally lowering the gun and investigating the Pokéballs. 

“We shall have to take all three,” the woman concluded. “Again, we apologize for treating you with such severity,” she said to Shuichi, who was still gasping for breath on the ground, “but the time to take action has come, and you have decided not to act.”

The two turned away from Shuichi, leaving him on the ground. By this point, Shuichi realized he was going into shock from the pain. His body was shutting down, but his mind clung to his last conscious thoughts. The strangers were taking all three of his Pokémon. They would take them back to Nagisa’s world to fight Necrozma, where they would inevitably fail because Shuichi wasn’t there to guide them in battle. Mosaic would be back in Junko’s custody, turned into a mindless killing machine.

Shuichi sucked in a deep breath and rolled onto his stomach, clenching his teeth as his burned and raw skin scraped against the pavement. There was a metal trashcan in the alley that he used to haul himself to his feet, legs trembling from the effort. He pulled the lid off, leaned against the trashcan to support his weight, and threw the lid like a frisbee at the strangers. He managed to hit the woman in the lower back, eliciting a surprised scream of pain from her. She fell forward onto her hands and knees, dropping his Pokéballs onto the ground. The man whirled around to face Shuichi, drawing the gun once more.

Three flashes of light revealed Scout, Lumine, and Mosaic, who were immediately on guard when they saw the situation unfolding before them. The man turned back once he realized the greater danger was the Pokémon but lowered his gun and stared in awe at Mosaic. With the strangers distracted, Scout and Lumine slipped past and ran to their trainer. Shuichi collapsed to the ground, whimpering from agitating his burns. Scout breathed out a trickle of cool water onto Shuichi’s thigh, soothing the burning sensation and comforting Shuichi’s shocked mind as the pain faded slightly. Lumine planted himself between Shuichi and the strangers, ready to defend his trainer if they attacked.

“Beast Killer,” the woman said in reverence, struggling to her feet.

Mosaic eyed each of them, his beak clicking dangerously. He was the Beast Killer, the slayer of monsters, and he saw two deplorable monsters standing right in front of him. He lunged and nearly disemboweled the woman. She gasped in shock, hands pressing against her stomach as crimson blood blossomed and soaked into the fabric of her suit. Perhaps the pair viewed Mosaic as an artifact or something to revere. A weapon no different from the heat-ray gun. Maybe they thought he was a mindless tool, and that was why they didn’t believe Shuichi when he said Mosaic made a choice not to fight. Regardless of what they thought of the Beast Killer, the last thing they expected was for him to attack them.

The man raised the gun and fired it at Mosaic. Even from a distance, Shuichi could see the smoke sizzling from Mosaic’s fur, and the scent of burning hair filled the air. Pokémon were naturally more resilient, and Mosaic was something else entirely, so he shook off the attack and leapt onto the man, slamming him into the pavement. The gun flew out of his hand and clattered across the ground. Lumine rushed forward and grabbed the gun in his mouth, backing away to stand in front of Shuichi again. The man screamed as Mosaic sank his teeth and the serrated edges of his beak-like mouth into the arm the man raised to defend his face and neck. The woman grabbed fistfuls of Mosaic’s mane and yanked as hard as she could, but all that did was turn the Silvally onto her. 

All fighting ceased when an intimidating presence bore down on them. Shuichi gaped in horror as a jagged, otherworldly figure struggled to move itself into the narrowness of the alley. Mosaic stopped fighting against the man and woman, all three observing Necrozma. Shuichi felt himself beginning to panic. There was no warning of Necrozma’s return. What was it here? Did Nagisa know? Where was the Ultra Wormhole? Was it specifically targeting Mosaic to destroy the one weapon that could defeat it? Was—?

Then he realized Mosaic wasn’t reacting to Necrozma’s presence.

Two small blurs suddenly flew from behind Necrozma, so small and subtle Shuichi almost didn’t see it if he wasn’t hyper-focused on the monstrous creature. The projectiles hit the strangers, prompting a gasp and struggle to remove whatever had hit them. Mosaic backed away from the strangers as their thrashing grew more desperate, then sluggish. 

“I knew learning to play darts would come in handy.”

Necrozma disappeared into a cloud of smoke, the cloud clearing to reveal a Zoroark. Kokichi stepped out from behind the Zoroark, now devoid of his mask, hat, and cape. He strode up to the pair of strangers and plucked two small, skinny thorns out of their bodies. He analyzed the two thorns then tossed them aside.

“They’re useless once the poisons have been injected,” he explained to Shuichi. Now Shuichi saw a third thorn, still glistening purple with poison, was speared through the fabric of Kokichi’s shirt near his collarbone.

 _He just threw two Poison Stings through Jester’s illusion and hit his targets,_ Shuichi realized. 

He heard several pairs of feet approaching from behind. Scout bared his teeth and shrieked at the newcomers, his tail flicking back and forth. When Shuichi noticed the DICE members running up to him, he calmed Scout and waved them over. Two of them helped him to his feet, supporting his weight so he didn’t agitate his injured leg. Kokichi rolled the man over onto his back using his foot, crouching so he could remove the man’s helmet.

“She’s going to bleed out if we don’t find help,” said Ace, pointing to the woman.

“Use my phone,” Shuichi offered. “It’s in my bag.”

Mosaic stepped up to the Zoroark and sniffed, Jester responding with a toothy grin. Kokichi approached Lumine and pulled the gun out of his mouth, investigating it with curious intentions.

“You all need to leave before the ambulances get here,” Shuichi told the DICE members. “You’ve been out of the authorities’ eyes for a while, but I can’t protect you if they arrest you.”

“I’ll stay with you,” Kokichi proclaimed. “I’m not worried about the police. Everyone, get out of here. I’ll meet you back at base.”

*

To Jiro Saihara, this was somehow worse than when his nephew disappeared to Alola. At least Shuichi had contacted him and was surrounded by his friends. Getting a call from the hospital alerting him that Shuichi had been brought it with burns and bruises, alongside two strange individuals covered in blood and poisoned, nearly gave Jiro a heart attack. He grabbed his wife and nearly sprinted for the car, driving like a madman across the city. Ayame was on her phone the entire time, calling Shuichi’s friends and alerting them about the situation.

Jiro and Ayame stumbled into the emergency room waiting area, probably looking as if they were out of their minds. The boy who turned to look at them was vaguely familiar to Jiro, and the man struggled to recall where he had seen this strange figure dressed in tattered, white clothing, until he remembered the video call he’d had when Shuichi first arrived in Alola. This was the owner of the Zorua, the new friend of Shuichi’s he hadn’t met yet. 

“What have you heard?” Jiro asked.

“Not much,” Kokichi responded. “He’s not in critical condition, I can tell you that much. The two who attacked him… that’s another story.”

“Who attacked him?”

“I don’t know much about them; they’re total strangers, to us, to the city, and to the world. They attacked Shuichi and tried to take Mosaic, but he mauled them pretty bad.”

Jiro was almost knocked over when someone ran into his back. Kaito offered a jumbled apology and was about to rush off when he realized who it was he ran into. Maki, Kaede, and Rantaro followed soon after, panting from running and from their own panic.

“How’s Shuichi? What’s going on?” Kaede questioned.

“Shuichi is going to be fine.” Kyoko stepped out from a corridor, walking up to the group. “But we have bigger worries.”

“Is this about the strangers?” Kokichi asked.

“Yes. Those two are from Ultra Megalopolis, the world Nagisa came from. How and why they are here is most troubling.”

“They’re not… dead, right? I mean, Mosaic basically gutted that woman.”

“Mosaic?” Kaito didn’t sound like he believed what Kokichi had just revealed. 

“They’re both alive,” Kyoko confirmed. “And currently in the custody of the International Police. I can take you to Shuichi if you wish.”

As Kokichi had mentioned, Shuichi wasn’t in critical condition, and the burns were more painful than damaging. As the doctor who treated him explained, the burns were first-degree and the blisters forming were tiny pockets of fluid that didn’t even hurt. The gun hadn’t penetrated deeply into his skin; in fact, it hadn’t gotten past his epidermis. The main issue was the amount of area the burn covered. Thankfully, he wasn’t going to need a skin graft.

“Was it a Fire-type?” Kaede asked, sitting on the edge of Shuichi’s hospital bed. There were a limited number of chairs in the room, which were surrendered to Jiro and Ayame, so everyone else was standing.

“No, it was a gun,” Shuichi replied, awkwardly pulling his blanket up to cover his boxers since the doctors had stripped him of his pants to treat the burn.

“A gun?” Maki repeated. “What kind of gun did this?”

“I don’t know, but it was weird-looking,” said Kokichi, snatching Shuichi’s pants from the end of his bed and holding them up, showing everyone the hole burnt through the leg. “It was shiny and rounded, and it didn’t fire bullets.”

“A… heat-ray?” Kaito stated, unsure of what he was saying.

“Heat-rays aren’t real,” said Rantaro. “Maybe it was flamethrower. Did it spit fire?”

“They fired it at me, no bullets came out, and suddenly my leg was burnt,” Shuichi explained. “Whatever it shoots, it was invisible.” He turned to Kyoko, a worried and desperate look on his face. “That woman isn’t dead, right? Mosaic didn’t kill her, _right?_ "

"You have nothing to worry about," Kyoko replied. "Even if Mosaic killed her, he would have been in the right. These two are clearly dangerous: they were armed and they had intent to harm. Mosaic was defending you; even if his actions caused their deaths, he couldn't be labeled dangerous since this was a one-time occurrence against hostile individuals."

"But the reason they're here is more alarming." Mukuro and Makoto walked through the doorway into Shuichi's hospital room. Mukuro had a deep frown on her face, indicating she was upset by the turn of events. "They had weapons, which meant they were willing to harm whoever stood in their way. They came here to complete a single task, a task they felt needed to be completed."

"Retrieve the Beast Killer," Shuichi answered. "But how did they know about him? These people are strangers, right? They're not Nagisa's assistants or colleagues or anything?"

"Let's ask." Makoto pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number on it, switching the call to speaker phone so everyone in the room heard the ringing and the voice who eventually picked up on the other end.

"Hello? Makoto?

"And Shuichi. And... everyone else."

Kokichi snatched the phone from Makoto and climbed onto the edge of Shuichi's bed so he and the latter could speak directly into the phone and be heard clearly. "We have some questions you need to answer."

"Kokichi," Shuichi said in a warning tone. "Nagisa, are you aware of what just happened?"

"Kyoko contacted us and said you were attacked by people from Ultra Megalopolis, the world I came from," Nagisa responded. "But... is that... really what happened?"

"Yes, these people are clearly from your world, and they did attack me."

"First thing's first," Kokichi interrupted before Shuichi or Nagisa could say anything else. "Since coming to our world, have you ever returned to Ultra Megalopolis?"

"No," Nagisa answered. "We may have the technology to traverse Ultra Space, but it's not perfect. I found my way here solely by luck. If I attempted to return to my world, there's no guarantee I'll end up there. Our methods are shaky at best; so no, I haven't been to Ultra Megalopolis since coming here."

"Do you have any method of communicating with your people?" Shuichi asked.

"No. Why does this matter?

"Because these two strangers, who it appears are not related to you or your research, knew about Mosaic."

The phone was silent for a few moments, and Shuichi could envision Nagisa's shocked expression. Maybe the boy was holding the phone away from his face as he looked around, trying to focus his thoughts after the revelation Shuichi just told him.

"You _sure_ you have no way of talking with them?" Kokichi insisted.

"I haven't been in contact with my people since I came here two years ago," Nagisa reaffirmed.

"Okay, then that leaves one solution."

Shuichi realized what he was implying, thinking back to mere hours before in DICE's secret base. Kokichi had deduced two possible conclusions, one being that Nagisa had somehow told his people about Mosaic, and so two individuals had come to this world to find the Beast Killer, or someone else told them. But, Nagisa had just said his people's method of traversing Ultra Space wasn't perfect. How could Kokichi's conclusion be correct if there was a larger chance Junko ended up somewhere else entirely from Ultra Megalopolis?

"Is no one gonna say it?" Kokichi looked around expectantly, then sighed like it was a huge effort to explain his thoughts. "If Nagisa had no way of telling his people about Mosaic, but they somehow knew, then _someone else_ told them. Someone we are, unfortunately, already acquainted with."

"Impossible," Mukuro spoke up. "What are the chances Junko ended up in Ultra Megalopolis? The odds have always been in her favor, but that's just too much. It's just..." she firmly shook her head, but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anyone, "... _impossible._ "

"Um," Nagisa sounded uncertain but also thoughtful, "maybe not as much as you think."

"What do you mean?" Shuichi asked.

"Traversing Ultra Space by yourself is a dangerous feat; like I said, you have no idea where you're going to end up. But if you were following something that knew where it was going..."

"Junko and Monokuma jumped in the Ultra Wormhole after Necrozma fled," Makoto realized.

"Exactly. No one can know how Necrozma's mind works, but our historical records do indicate it has returned to Ultra Megalopolis multiple times after it stole the light. It may have some sort of emotional connection to my world, the world where it was shattered. We don't know under what circumstances it chooses to return to Ultra Megalopolis, but what happened in Paradise could qualify. Necrozma was injured, badly, and so it returned to a location it was familiar with; Junko and Monokuma followed. If Necrozma returned to Ultra Megalopolis, then they could be there too.”

“But why would your people listen to her?” Kaito exclaimed. “She’s certifiably insane!”

“Think about it from their point of view,” Nagisa suggested. “Your world has been consumed by darkness for centuries. You’ve dedicated all your resources into finding ways to remedy this, from attempting to track Necrozma, to trying to perfect Ultra Space travel. One day, two people from another world arrive to your home. They show proof they are knowledgeable about Ultra Megalopolis and Necrozma and offer a way to save your world. They claim they have a weapon that can defeat Necrozma. My people… they’re not bad, they’re just desperate. Junko offered a way to return the light to Ultra Megalopolis, a way that shows promise.”

Shuichi reflected on his confrontation with the two strangers, remembering how apologetic they were in attacking him. They purposefully set the weapon on a low setting, so he wouldn’t be harmed too severely. They didn’t gloat about their victory, and they didn’t take all three of his Pokéballs to be cruel, only because they didn’t know which one held Mosaic. They were in a situation they didn’t want to be in and wanted to finish it without causing too much damage. They were as much victims of Junko’s cruelty and manipulative nature as everyone else.

“What is going on?” Jiro demanded. “You’re talking about other worlds and people from them!”

“It’s complicated,” Kyoko replied.

“Nagisa,” Shuichi took the phone from Kokichi, “have there been any signs of Necrozma returning? Or any Ultra Wormholes in Alola?”

“Not lately, why?”

“Then how did they get here?”

“’Cause Nebby’s here,” Kaito answered instead. Everyone stared at him incredulously, not quite understanding his confidence in his answer. Kaito sighed, “The computer at Aether Paradise said the Ultra Wormholes are concentrated around the Alolan Islands because of Cosmog’s presence. Nebby’s not a Cosmog anymore— at least, we don’t think— but he’s here in Litra City, not on the islands. If the same concept applies, then an Ultra Wormhole could appear in Litra since Nebby’s here.”

“Oh my God, that’s actually a coherent thought,” Kokichi gasped in faux-shock, prompting Kaito to smack him upside the head.

“There have been no traces of radiation from the Ultra Wormholes for the past couple of months,” Nagisa stated. “We have sensors set up all over the islands and we have a squad of Charizard making routine flights to take test samples from the air. We’ve turned up nothing.”

There had been no wormholes over Alola, which meant the strangers must have emerged somewhere else. If what Kaito said made sense, then there was a good chance an Ultra Wormhole had opened in the city or nearby because of Nebby’s presence. If a wormhole could have opened without anyone noticing, how many other secret threats were lurking in the city? Were there Ultra Beasts here too? No, Mosaic would have reacted. Were there other people of Ultra Megalopolis here? Maybe.

“Listen,” Nagisa spoke up, “I have to go. Shuichi, I hope you’re not indisposed. Detective Kirigiri, treat those people as criminals. Show sympathy for their situation, but don’t let that blind you to the crimes they’ve committed. They made a choice.” With that, the line went dead, and Shuichi returned the phone to Kyoko. 

“Can I keep these?” Kokichi asked, holding up Shuichi’s burnt pants, but Maki pulled them from his grasp.

“How’s the burn?” Aunt Ayame inquired. “Do you need further treatment?”

“No,” Shuichi answered. “They gave me some numbing cream. The burn should heal on its own. I can go home right now.”

“I’ll prepare some ice packs at home,” Rantaro offered. “You’re… still coming to the party, right?”

“Of course! I’ve endured panic attacks, drownings, and attempted-mauling. Some burned skin the size of a cereal bowl isn’t going to stop me.”

“You’re bouncing back from severe injures a lot quicker now. I don’t know whether to be impressed or concerned,” Maki remarked.

“By the end of this, you’re going to be one giant scar,” Kaede said, tracing the faint line on his cheek from Guzzlord’s attack.

*

Shuichi didn’t need lift a finger for anything. Aunt Ayame had alerted his friends about his trip to the hospital, and while most of them couldn’t come visit for the short period he was there, they were making up for it at the party. Gonta offered to pick him up and carry him wherever he needed to go, despite Shuichi insisting he could walk just fine. Miu kept persisting in offering to amputate his leg and give him a robotic one. Shuichi finally had to kick her with his apparent “broken” leg to get her to go away and prove the leg was fine. Kirumi was picking platters off the tables and bringing them to him so he wouldn’t have to walk to get any food.

Thankfully, the only “incident” was Rantaro’s youngest sister attempting to climb into his lap, her knee hitting him directly on the burned patch of skin. Shuichi congratulated himself by not screaming and profusely thanked Rantaro when he rushed over to retrieve his sister. Megumi, Rantaro’s eldest sister, also supplied him with an ice pack Rantaro had mentioned he’d prepare for Shuichi’s leg. The numbing cream was doing a good job of keeping most of the pain away.

“How was the wedding?” Rantaro offered Kaede a beverage and sat down beside her. From their position on the couch, they could see Shuichi in his chair, urging Kirumi to stop serving him and enjoy the party on her own.

“It was so beautiful,” Kaede gushed eagerly. “I got to play the piano, everyone’s Pokémon got to come out of their Pokéballs during the reception, and Nagito and Hajime are so adorable!”

“Did you make a move on Shuichi liked you planned?”

“No,” Kaede sighed, crossing her arms. “Maybe I need to be more forward. I thought I was being obvious, but clearly...”

“I don’t think Shuichi’s going to catch on unless you’re direct. He may be a detective, but he can be dense sometimes. This might be an issue of him not picking up clues where he thinks there aren’t any.”

“I’m giving him a month after all this over,” Kaede declared. “If he doesn’t figure it out by then, I’m saying it directly to his face.”

“You could do that now, y’know,” Rantaro pointed out.

“No,” Kaede shook her head. “He has too much to worry about at the moment. I don’t want to stress him anymore than he already is.”

“One minute to midnight!” Tenko announced.

Everyone who was sitting down leapt to their feet, frantically collecting party poppers and bursting out of the house. The chill in the air did nothing to deter their excitement. Rantaro and his father had set up several fireworks and were waiting for the countdown to light them to coincide with the strike of midnight. Shuichi glanced at Mukuro, who appeared to be having a conversation with Kirumi and Kiyo. She appeared completely at ease, more so than he had ever seen her. He was happy for that; she deserved to not constantly be ravaged by stress and guilt. Especially a guilt she shouldn’t be feeling. 

“Five! Four! Three! Two! One!”

Shuichi instinctively covered his ears as the fireworks launched with loud screams, exploding into gorgeous showers and wheels of sparks, reverberating booms thundering across the sky. Others throughout the city were also launching fireworks, resulting in a rainbow or arcing glimmers. Shuichi lowered his ears now that the initial silence had been broken, only to jump when someone grabbed his arm. At first, he assumed it was Kaede, who was being oddly more affectionate lately, but a quick glance revealed it was Mukuro.

“Look,” she pointed at the sky, past the fireworks still exploding into bright pinwheels, a grim expression on her face.

Despite the burst of color and loud noises, from the fireworks and from the party attendees, Shuichi saw it. A single point in the cloudless night sky began to glow, small cracks creeping together until they shattered like glass, revealing the haunting radiance of an Ultra Wormhole. The cheers of the guests slowly turned to gasps of horror and one person (Shuichi was pretty sure it was Miu) shrieked loudly. Kaito shouted in surprised as his backpack started lifting him off the ground, or rather, Nebby _inside_ his backpack started lifting him off the ground. Maki and Gonta quickly grabbed his arms and pulled him back down, his backpack still trying in vain to separate from him. Kaito swung it off his shoulders and tightly hugged it, requiring Maki and Gonta to still hold him down.

Mosaic bellowed loudly, screaming at the Ultra Wormhole. Shuichi felt a stab of terror; was this was moment? Was Necrozma coming back, here and now? Was he ready to face the creature for real? Mukuro threw her only Pokéball, Lunala materializing above their heads. She screeched at the sight of the Ultra Wormhole, forcing everyone to cover their ears. After being signaled by Mukuro, Lunala flew towards the Ultra Wormhole, Nebby attempting to follow her, so Rantaro and Tenko joined in with the others keeping Kaito firmly on the ground. Lunala drifted around the wormhole, flying close to investigate it more thoroughly, before descending back down.

“There’s nothing coming through,” Mukuro reported. “Lunala would be much more stressed if something were emerging from Ultra Space.”

“ _This_ is what you all were talking about?” said Jiro. “Holes in the sky and other worlds? This is all real!?”

Mosaic appeared to have calmed down, having also sensed there was no immediate danger. Despite the confirmation, everyone continued to stare at the hole in the sky, the silence of the city (now that the fireworks had stopped) broken by shrieks and screams in the distant as people panicked.

“If nothing’s coming through,” said Shuichi, “then what is this?”

“I think it’s a power burst,” Mukuro answered. “We’ll have to ask Nagisa for confirmation, but, although nothing is coming through right now, it means Necrozma is at full strength again. It’s marked our world as a source of light to feed upon, and it will return.”

“What do we do?” Keebo whimpered.

“We fight back.”

*

After the wedding mere days before, Nagito and Hajime could firmly say they were partied out. That was why they were spending New Year’s at home with only Chiaki, Izuru, and the twins’ parents. Fuyuhiko and Peko were throwing a big party, and they sent their well-wishes, but didn’t press for their attendance. After all, it wasn’t just New Year’s, it was also Hajime and Izuru’s birthday.

“Girls?” Nagito tensed when he saw Hope and Joy behaving oddly. The two Vulpix were whimpering, their tails pulled tight against their bodies.

The television, which had been showing the just-finished countdown, suddenly switched to an emergency news report. A hole in the sky had been witnessed opening over the city. All the attendants of the small get-together froze as they watched the footage of the rip in nothing. Haxorus growled deeply, his head snapping between the doors and windows, as if he were expecting something to burst through and attack his family.

Hajime’s cell phone rang, and he excused himself to the kitchen, already guessing the person on the other end was Fuyuhiko. Nagito audibly swallowed as he stared at the newsfeed on the television. Dr. Gekkogahara told him to stop suppressing his emotions. He needed to display how he was feeling to those around him. Right now, he was feeling scared; there was something about that hole in the sky that frightened him to his core. He jumped off the couch he was sitting on and transferred to the one Chiaki and Izuru were on. He hugged Chiaki, seeking comfort for his fear. She was also frozen at the sight of the newsfeed and not responding to his presence, so he switched and clung to Izuru. Izuru didn’t react, but Nagito could feel how tense his muscles were, and not because Nagito was touching him. If he cared at all, he would have pushed his brother-in-law away. No, Izuru was glaring at the hole in the sky, waiting to see what would emerge from the other side.

*

Kiyotaka raced out of the house when he heard his mother shriek. He had needed to use the bathroom but held it until after the countdown was over, so he could welcome the new year with his parents, boyfriend, and Chihiro. He stumbled to a halt, nearly falling in the street. The neighbors, who had been celebrating in the street in one large party, were all gasping and pointing at the sky, or, more specifically, the Ultra Wormhole looming over their heads.

“What the hell is that thing?” Takaaki growled.

“An Ultra Wormhole,” Chihiro answered. “A door to another world.”

“Is it dangerous?” Kiyotaka’s mother whimpered.

“Not inherently, but…” Kiyotaka glared at the rip in the sky, as if he were daring something to come through. “I’m sorry, Mother, Father. I would have liked this visit to last the planned two weeks, but we must return to Alola.”

*

Kokichi shook some of the confetti out of his hair. He and DICE were on the roof of their hideout, waiting anxiously to set off the party poppers and fireworks to coincide with the countdown. The second the timer hit zero, sparks and confetti shot into the air at the exact same time the Ultra Wormhole split the sky. The other DICE members stopped their celebrating to stare at the hole in nothing with curiosity, but Kokichi knew better.

He knew what that thing was and what it meant.

_Well, it had to happen at some point. Necrozma hasn’t come through, but this means the threat is active. Looks like it’s time to go back to the islands._

*

Kyoko gripped her phone so tightly, Makoto was worried she was going to crush it. He gently grasped her wrist and pried her phone out of her hand before she caused irreparable damage. But he understood how she felt. The Ultra Wormhole was a warning of what was to come. A threat was about to descend upon them.

Makoto dialed a number on Kyoko’s phone, ready to alert the rest of their allies about the signs of Necrozma’s return. “Officer Yukizome, we have an emergency.”

“I know,” she replied, her grave tone chilling him to his bones. “There’s one here too.”

“More than one,” Nagisa specified, somewhere in the background.

*

Aoi gaped in horror as she saw two Ultra Wormholes open and feared there were more beyond her sight. Being on Wailord’s back in the open water, she had a vantage point to see clearly for miles around. One appeared to be near the Altar of the Sunne, the wormhole she was closest to, while the other was over Melemele Island. And those were just the two she could see; who knew how many weren’t in the sky, and were lurking across the islands?

“I don’t know how Nagisa can study those things,” said Yuta. “I feel like panicking just from seeing one from this distance.”

“He doesn’t only study them,” Sakura reminded him, “he traveled through them.”

“We can’t panic,” said Aoi. “We need to hold onto the hope that Shuichi and Mosaic are ready.”

*

Keoni had only ever heard of such a thing described in the old Alolan stories. Tales of a doorway in nothing that granted great power to those who stood before it. Now that he saw one for himself, he was even more impressed with the heroes who had the courage to stand before one. He felt a stab of dread in his heart as the sky ripped above what he believed was Memorial Hill. It was in that direction, but he could be mistaken, and it was above the ruins instead.

Wikolia gasped when they heard a cry echo across Akala Island. No doubt Tapu Lele had sensed the Ultra Wormhole’s presence and was responding. Makana nearly sprinted out of the house, racing for the ruins like her life depended on it. If Tapu Lele was in distress, she would need someone there to comfort her. As Makana ran through Konikoni City, the shocked and scared voices of the people fell on deaf ears. Tourists clustered together, pointing at the sky and talking about holes in the sky that featured in stories from the various regions they originated from. Someone said it was the coming of Arceus, another said Palkia was entering their world, while another one thought Yveltal had awakened and was about to feed upon the life energy of the islands.

But something told her this was different. Something… foreign.

*

Keahi leapt to his feet, spilling his drink across the warm stone of the volcano. The various Fire-type Pokémon he had been congregating with turned their heads in unison to stare at the Ultra Wormhole that opened over the Ruins of Life. Several started howling and roaring at the wormhole, their anger and panic evident. Keahi felt the same sort of fear eat away at his insides, wondering why he was feeling this way.

What was that thing and why did it frighten him? Why did it frighten the Pokémon? And, based on the echoing cry he heard over the din the Pokémon were causing, why did it frighten Tapu Lele?

There was much to fear if the Guardian herself cried in distress.

*

Nagisa sprinted through the reception area, trying to reach the open deck of Paradise to get a visual observation of what the device wildly beeping in his hands told him was already here. He nearly slipped when he tried to stop on the deck. The device somehow started beeping louder, but that didn’t matter anymore. He stared in horror at the Ultra Wormhole floating above the water, the sky shattered like glass.

The Monokubs were standing in a huddle, their Ultra Beasts clinging close to their trainers. They feared what could come through the wormhole just as much as the people gathering to stare. They feared the return of Junko, Monokuma, and Guzzlord, who endangered their trainers and threatened to make them into weapons. They feared Necrozma, who incited terror wherever it went.

“Nagisa,” Monotaro waved him over, his other hand firmly holding onto Blacephalon. Nagisa raced over and clambered onto Stakataka, who dropped to the deck to allow him up.

“What’s going on?” Monosuke asked. “Is it Necrozma?”

“No,” Nagisa played with some of the dials on his device, the beeping never ceasing. “There’s a large amount of radiation coming through, but no signals from Necrozma or an Ultra Beast.”

Chisa soon joined them after trying in vain to calm the employees who feared Junko’s return. Her face was devoid of emotion as she watched waves of aura fade and glow as they drifted from the Ultra Wormhole. This wormhole wasn’t currently a doorway, but it was an indication of something more. Necrozma was strong once more after retreating to Ultra Space from Lunala’s barrage of Shadow Balls. It was going to return to steal their light unless they acted first.

Chisa jumped when her phone rang, fumbling to get it out of her pocket and answer it.

“Officer Yukizome, we have an emergency.” Given the serious tone Makoto was speaking in and the supposedly coincidental occurrence of this emergency, she had an idea of what was happening, hours away across the ocean.

“I know, there’s one here too.”

“More than one,” Nagisa spoke up, pointing towards the sky above Melemele Island. 

“What does this mean?” Monophanie asked, hugging her Nihilego so tightly the Ultra Beast was slightly distorted.

“It means the time has come,” Nagisa replied. “Necrozma is strong again and if we don’t act first, it’ll attack us. We either need to follow it into Ultra Space or summon it to us.”

“Neither option sounds good,” said Monodam.

“We don’t have a choice anymore,” Chisa murmured, continuing to stare at the Ultra Wormhole until it faded, the sky knitting itself back together. The sky wasn’t just a sky though; it was a thin pane of glass that could shatter at any moment as an intruder from another world forced its way in. But what that intruder didn’t know was there were guards on the other side of that pane of glass, people and Pokémon who were ready to turn it away permanently…

…or destroy it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned last chapter I would write a sequel if I felt Sword and Shield's story was compatible enough, buuuut...
> 
> I had an idea for a prequel, two in fact.
> 
> If these prequels work out, they'll follow Kyoko and Makoto as they become members of the International Police and one of the missions that made them "world famous." These prequels will take place in the Unova and Kanto Regions respectively and will also help fill out the backstories of some of the characters in Beast Killer who weren't the focus or were only mentioned in passing, as well as other characters who didn't get an appearance (such as Komaru and Toko). Now, this isn't definite yet, I need time to plan everything out, but it's something I want to write.


	22. Blessing of the Tapu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the final battle is nigh, Shuichi prays for protection from the Guardian deities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Cosmoem (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Bisharp, Marowak, Togekiss  
> Angie Yonaga: Ribombee, Smeargle, Whimsicott, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Decidueye, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roserade (Rugosa), Zoroark (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Aegislash, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Luxray, Lairon  
> Tenko Chabashira: Blaziken, Mienshao  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Mismagius, Torracat, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Vileplume, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy), Carbink  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Chiaki Nanami: Wigglytuff, Azumarill  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Ibuki Mioda: Kricketune, Exploud  
> Sonia Nevermind: Escavalier (x2), Spiritomb  
> Gundam Tanaka: Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, Dedenne  
> Mikan Tsumiki: Chansey  
> Ryota Mitarai: Goomy  
> Teruteru Hanamura: Paras, Ambipom  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc, Beartic, Ursaring  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo  
> Ace: Serperior

### 

Part 3: The Blinding One

### 

Chapter 22: Blessing of the Tapu

“Doctor Gekkogahara, I’m scared.”

“These feelings are completely natural,” the robotic voice program replied, the young woman controlling the program sitting across from Shuichi in her wheelchair. “Your circumstances are unusual, and it is completely alright to be feeling frightened.”

“I guess… I never thought I’d be in this situation. Who would ever think they’d be in this situation? The entire fate of the world rests in Mosaic and myself defeating Necrozma.”

“I’ve had many officers of the International Bureau as clients in the past, but you’ve been the most interesting given the circumstances. There have many occurrences of dire situations, but not one to this degree. No offense, but you are not an International Officer. You haven’t received the in-depth training they have, but you’re still going to fight. That is both admirable and very, very stupid.”

Shuichi let out a small laugh at her bluntness. “I know.”

“When are you leaving?”

“I have to report to the Bureau branch in an hour. Thank you for seeing me without an appointment, by the way.”

“It was no trouble.”

Shuichi stood up, his right leg trembling slightly from the effort. He was given a day of rest after the wormhole appeared in the sky during New Year’s, but they couldn’t hold off in returning to Alola forever. So, he was being forced to make the journey with an injured leg. Aunt Ayame packed a small medical kit in his duffel bag with bandages and numbing cream, and he was sure once the adrenaline started running, he would barely notice the pain in his leg.

“It’s been nice talking with you, Doctor,” Shuichi shook her hand, perhaps a little too firmly.

“Don’t treat this like our last meeting, Mister Saihara,” the robotic voice replied. “You will come back. I have faith you will return, so try and have some as well.”

Shuichi’s jaw tightened after hearing her statement. He wanted to have faith, especially after all the training his Pokémon had gone through, but there was still that nagging feeling of failure in the back of his mind. If he failed, it was all over. 

“It’s been nice talking with you, Doctor,” he repeated, turning away and exiting her office before she could say anything else.

He switched his heavy duffel bag to his left side and shortened the strap of his messenger bag, so it wouldn’t make contact with his burned skin. Jiro had insisted on driving him to the Bureau branch, but since Shuichi decided he needed one last appointment with Dr. Gekkogahara, he ended up taking the train and would need to take another to reach the branch. The train ride itself was solemn. No one was talking or interacting, the fear of what occurred New Year’s night still permeating the air.

Shuichi undid the clasps of his messenger bag and pulled out Mosaic’s Pokéball, staring at the item in his hand with a listless expression. He brushed his thumb over the button, half-tempted to release the Silvally into the train, but wisely decided it was best not to materialize a creature none of the passengers had seen before after the wormhole incident. He sighed and returned the Pokéball to his bag, gently feeling for the other two before withdrawing his hand. 

The train screeched to a halt as it approached the station where he needed to exit. Shuichi heaved himself to his feet again, taking a moment to stabilize himself when his tender skin twitched. He exited the train, hauling both of his bags over his shoulders and fearing the near future. The last time he confronted Necrozma, he hadn’t been expecting it, so he couldn’t be dreading it. He also didn’t have to face it alone; his friends had been by his side the entire time. He would still have friends this time: his Pokémon, as well as Mukuro and Makoto, whom he had become rather fond of during their interactions. He wasn’t sure he could call Kyoko his friend, but he wasn’t afraid of her anymore; in fact, he found himself respecting her as he had done before, although not as much.

He pushed through the glass doors of the entrance to the branch building. He didn’t even need to approach the reception desk and alert them to his presence. Mukuro was already waiting for him in the front lobby. She was wearing something similar to the officer uniform, a neat suit that was both professional and practical, and had some pieces of padded armor designed into it. She looked much healthier than when they had first met. Her face was no longer gaunt and her body, though still slim, displayed some obvious muscle.

“Shuichi,” she greeted him. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” he responded softly.

Mukuro frowned but didn’t say anything further. She took Shuichi’s duffel bag and slung it over her own shoulder, gesturing for him to follow her back out the front entrance. A car was waiting to drive them to the airfield, a driver in attendance. The two were ushered into the back seat, Shuichi’s heart involuntarily leaping with the slam of the car door. He watched as the branch building disappeared as the car drove away from it, fearing it would be the last time he saw it. The same fear gripped him as he watched the city of Litra pass by the windows.

“We’re going to an airfield near the city limits,” Mukuro explained. “We’ll be taking a private jet to Alola.”

That made sense; it would take too long to sail to the islands. A plane flight would take several hours but wouldn’t be as long a journey. Shuichi hummed noncommittedly, still staring out the window. In the blurred reflection of the glass, he could see Mukuro frowning at him.

“How did your appointment with your therapist go?” she asked.

“I didn’t have an appointment, but she agreed to see me anyway,” he replied.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Shuichi sighed and looked down at his folded hands in his lap. “She told me it was okay to be afraid.”

“We have emotions for a reason. It’s healthy to experience all of them.”

“Then what about you? You’ve suffered so much and you’re repressing it all. That’s not healthy, and you’re going to suffer the consequences.”

“I know… but I have to, so we can prevent others from feeling that same pain. There’s too much that needs to be done today. I’ll be sad tomorrow.”

“Promise me one thing,” Shuichi stated firmly.

“What?”

“Promise me you’ll seek psychiatric help once all of this is over.”

Mukuro’s eyes widened slightly. Was she not used to someone caring about her this much? Was she surprised Shuichi cared at all? He could only imagine the baggage she was carrying; living a life with Junko couldn’t have been easy.

“Do you promise?” he pressed her.

“…Okay. I promise.”

The car came to a halt. Shuichi looked out the window to see they had arrived. The airfield was very small, indicating it was privately-owned. Perhaps the International Bureau owned and used it for their own purposes? He could see a small jet plane waiting on the airstrip, waiting to take him to Alola. Shuichi climbed out of the car, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder and leaning down to take his duffel bag, but Mukuro took it instead.

They bid the driver farewell and walked out onto the airstrip, Shuichi watching his feet as he stepped closer and closer to the plane. Mukuro held out an arm and stopped him, spooking him from his reverie. He looked up and instantly felt his throat close as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. Lined up along the plane’s side were his friends and his Uncle Jiro, each one accompanied with duffel bags and other luggage. They were waiting for him.

“You…” he choked out, trying in vain to keep his tears back. “You all are… coming with me?”

“Hell yeah!” Miu shouted. “You think we’re gonna miss this!?”

Even Kokichi was here, wearing his tattered white DICE uniform, although the sparkly pink sunglasses were making a return. Ryoma’s tennis racket was visibly sticking out of his luggage. Shuichi wondered why he was bringing that along but chose not to ask. He was sure Ryoma had his reasons. Shuichi’s legs carried him forward without his input. Uncle Jiro wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close.

“What about the agency?” Shuichi asked. “And Aunt Ayame?”

“It was her idea I come with you this time, and Jun can handle things until I get back.”

His anxiety faded; it didn’t disappear completely, but it dissipated enough that he knew it wouldn’t grip him in fear any longer. His friends were here, and they were going to fight by his side just like during their journey through Alola. All that training he participated in with Makoto and Kyoko was worth something, and it was going to make all the difference.

Wait…

“Guys, this isn’t a random confrontation like last time. We’re going face Junko, Monokuma, and Necrozma head-on. I had to attend training sessions to become strong enough—,”

“And you dare think we haven’t prepared!?” Tenko snapped at him. “We’ve all been training at the dojo! Look at this!” 

With a flourish, she released her Pokémon, but they were no longer a Mienfoo and Combusken. Shuichi gaped at the sight of the Mienshao and Blaziken, battle-ready and prepared for what lay ahead. On that cue, the rest of his friends released their Pokémon, revealing the ones that had evolved during the time he was incapacitated and then preoccupied with training. 

Maki’s Pawniard and Togetic were now a Bisharp and Togekiss, the latter clearly having evolved from the Shiny Stone she stole from Aether Paradise. Angie’s Cutiefly and Cottonee were now a Ribombee and Whimsicott. True to what he had said months ago on the way to pick Kaede’s concert dress, Rantaro’s Slowpoke was still a Slowpoke, but his Dartrix had evolved into a Decidueye. Kiyo’s Litwick remained as it was, but his Honedge had evolved all the way to an Aegislash. Keebo’s Shinx was now a Luxray and his Aron a Lairon. Tsumugi’s Gloom was a Vileplume; maybe it wasn’t as flashy as a Bellossom, but she seemed happy enough, especially since she was the one who chose the Leaf Stone. Himiko’s Litten and Misdreavus were now a Torracat and Mismagius. Ryoma didn’t have his Pokémon since they weren’t battlers. And finally, there was Kokichi’s Jester, who Shuichi already knew had evolved into a Zoroark during the confrontation with the strangers from Ultra Megalopolis, and Rugosa, the shiny Roserade.

None of his friends were competitive battlers, so Shuichi had never thought he would see so many of their Pokémon evolved. But here they stood, ready to journey to Alola and support him and Mosaic in their fight against the Pillager of Light. Things wouldn’t be the same after this, but maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.

“Everyone,” Kyoko stepped down the stairs of the plane, “are we prepared to depart?”

Shuichi’s friends returned their Pokémon, picked up their luggage, and boarded the plane in single-file since the entrance was so narrow. Kokichi immediately started stirring things up by ducking under Kaito to get ahead in line, prompting the other to shout at him.

“We were just having a moment! Why did you have to ruin this?” Kaito yelled.

“I wanted to make sure I got a good seat,” Kokichi smirked. 

The interior of the plane was extravagant, hinting how expensive the aircraft was. There were twenty plush seats available, the perfect amount for the passengers embarking on the journey, which included Shuichi’s uncle, Mukuro, Kyoko, and Makoto, the latter whom had already claimed a seat for himself. Kyoko took the seat next to him, her face relaxed but her body language warding everyone away, as if she were worried someone would steal her seat next to her partner. Victini was sitting on Makoto’s lap, happily munching on some sort of treat. Shuichi wondered if Victini was Makoto’s only Pokémon, since it was the only one he’d seen up to that point, but Kaede interrupted his thoughts by grabbing his arm and pulled him into one of the empty two-seat rows. 

“Who’s our pilot?” Kaito asked excitedly. “Are they an International Officer too? Do you have pilots in the Bureau? Do you need any astronauts?”

“The Bureau doesn’t go to space,” Mukuro answered, placing Shuichi’s duffel into the overhead bin and sinking into the empty chair next to Jiro. 

That seemed to dampen Kaito’s spirit a little, but he bounced back once the stairs to the plane folded up into the door, indicating they were taking off soon.

“If anyone’s afraid of flying, you should probably mention it now,” Kokichi announced. “I have happy pills.”

Rantaro grabbed the bottle the smaller boy was waving around and opened it, proclaiming the pills were just candy and soothing everyone’s worriment over how Kokichi somehow procured drugs. Kokichi snatched the bottle back and grumbled the contents made him happy so they were happy pills, before popping a handful into his mouth and pointedly didn’t offer any to Rantaro. Not that Rantaro minded since he pulled out a pair of headphones and leaned his chair back to nap during the flight. Thankfully, since Kokichi had the window seat, that meant he was boxed in the entirety of the flight and couldn’t bother anyone else.

*Akala Island*

Heahea City on Akala Island had a small airport, not designed to handle the constant coming and going of planes carrying tourists and shipments of products that couldn’t be produced on the islands, but it was plenty big enough for the private jet. They could have landed in Hau’oli City on Melemele Island, but Angie insisted they go to Akala. They would arrive to the islands in the early afternoon and Kyoko was forced to admit it was better they begin setting their plans in motion in the morning, meaning they needed somewhere to spend the night. Angie immediately offered her ancestral home, just like when the group had first arrived to the islands.

Shuichi was overwhelmed with feelings of déjà vu as he marched through Diglett’s Tunnel, his friends carrying on, Miu and Kokichi whooping loudly to listen to the echo, only to be scolded by Maki and Kirumi. There was something about emerging into the light at the exit of the tunnel that seemed symbolic to Shuichi: stepping into the light from the darkness. The slope leading to the coast was as peaceful as ever, as if the islands hadn’t been bombarded by Ultra Wormholes two nights ago. At least, it appeared peaceful to Shuichi, but Angie was twisting her head back and forth, like she was hearing something the others weren’t. 

Konikoni City was eerily empty, the tourists having fled in fear at the sight of the wormholes during New Year’s. The residents were surprised to see the large group, their eyes focusing on Angie, who was a recognizable Alolan, and perhaps some of them recognized her as an individual who grew up in the area. No one else in the group appeared to notice or care how they were being gawked at, but Shuichi was still relieved once they cleared the second arch and followed the trail through the forest, arriving to the clearing on the cliffside. The manor sat tall and proud just like last time.

“Leilani!” Keahi came sprinting from the house. “Eriding gone junk! Holes in da sky! Tapu Lele was scared! How you figga?”

“Everything’s gonna be okay,” Angie assured him. “Was Makana here to calm Tapu Lele?”

“Yeah, Uncle said so.”

The rest of Angie’s immediate family came running out of the house, nearly crushing her with hugs borne from both affection and worry. It was clear the appearance of the Ultra Wormholes had rocked the islands to their cores; yet, the tradition of hospitality was still strong and alive. Once the Kamaka family were finished greeting and comforting one another, Keoni and Wikolia warmly welcomed their guests into their home, delighted to see the return of Shuichi and his friends and pleased by the newcomers. 

Things were a little bit of a blur for the next few hours. Shuichi’s friends were settled into the spares, while Mukuro, Jiro, Kyoko, and Makoto had to sleep in the main house. Honestly, his mind was so preoccupied he wouldn’t have noticed the sleeping arrangements of the latter four if Kaede hadn’t come bounding out of the house practically squealing about how Makoto and Kyoko were sharing a room. He humored her, but honestly didn’t care about the pair’s love life. It was no one’s business but their own. 

The grounds were alive with activity as his friends released their Pokémon. Shuichi sat on the porch of the spare he was staying in, watching Maki’s Bisharp flex his blades, but the feelings of stir-craziness urged him to do something. Whatever that thing was, he wasn’t sure; nevertheless, he stepped off the porch and wandered near the edge of the trees. Angie watched him as he entered the forest, although he didn’t notice. If anyone asked where he went, she would be able to calm their worries.

Just like the night he abruptly woke up, the path through the woods Angie had led him through was very subtle. If it weren’t for the slight parting of some of the ground cover plants, he wouldn’t have seen it all. He walked the path until he spied the patch of ti plants, growing around the tombstone. He was half-tempted to take one of the leaves for protection, reliving the memories of surviving Guzzlord’s assault and the tropical storm, but thought better of it. Angie had gifted him the leaf before, it felt wrong to just take one… and it might curse him. He wouldn’t have had these thoughts before his first Alolan adventure, but now he was ready to start believing in everything. So, he kneeled before the tombstone instead, gently touching the soft soil.

“Are you there?” he whispered. “I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for me. I don’t think I would’ve survived without your help.”

Maybe he was crazy, talking to a tombstone, and anyone who walked in on him might think the same, but he didn’t care. Perhaps he was looking for evidence where there wasn’t any, but the gentle wind that rustled through the trees almost sounded like a voice to him. He stood up, brushing the dirt from his knees, taking care to avoid touching his injured thigh. He almost returned to the grounds to rejoin his friends, but a thought occurred. There was one other grave he wanted to visit.

No one approached him as he walked through Konikoni, and the outskirts were devoid of all human presence. There were no surfers at the small beach at the bottom of the slope, no hikers around the entrance to Diglett’s Tunnel, there weren’t even any Pokémon anywhere. Maybe that was for the best since it meant Memorial Hill was empty. The Type: Null’s grave still looked fresh despite it having been months since they dug the hole. Shuichi reached up and gently touched one of the leaves of the ti plant.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured to the air. “I’m sorry for what you had to endure. I’m sorry you died in agony, never knowing love and trust. All I can do is bring Junko Enoshima to justice… but that doesn’t feel like it justifies anything. You didn’t deserve what she did to you.”

A voice called out to him, so soft he almost thought it was the wind. He turned his head, looking around for whoever was here with him, but he couldn’t see anything. He was ready to pass it off as an auditory hallucination when he heard it again, this time a little clearer.

“Come with meeee,” the voice trilled softly.

“What?” he replied.

“Come with meeee.”

“But where?”

The gentle breeze suddenly changed direction, like it was pushing him the way it wanted him to go. Shuichi looked down, watching his shirt ruffle in the wind. He held out one hand, feeling the invisible tendrils of the gust curl around his fingers, as if it were taking him by the hand. 

“Come with meeee.”

He started walking in the direction the wind was blowing him, leading him to the other side of Memorial Hill. His stride lengthened once he became more aware of what was happening. Something was calling out to him, asking him to walk beside it as it directed him where it wanted him to go. The wind never let up, the lightest breeze touching his back like an affectionate arm around the shoulders. 

“Tapu Lele?” he called, facing the entrance of the Ruins of Life. 

“Come with meeee… Shuichiiii.”

Shuichi gasped and took a step back in surprise. He had heard that clear as day. He was positive the entity calling out to him was Tapu Lele, but how did she know his name? Did Keoni tell her, or maybe Makana? 

“But… I’m not supposed to enter the ruins,” he spoke to the air. “Isn’t it taboo? I’m not a priest.”

For a few moments, the voice didn’t speak, and he was worried he had gotten the identity wrong. The wind had stopped blowing because the entrance to the ruins were in a small cove in the rocks, shielding him from the sea breeze. 

“It’s okaaaay,” the voice whispered. “You are welcome heeeere.”

Shuichi paused, contemplating whether he should trust the voice or not, before stepping forward and entering the ruins. A chill ran over him once he was out of the sunlight. It was cool inside the ruins, he was almost expecting to see his own breath fog in front of his mouth. Somehow, it was bright within the ruins, bright enough to see the tunnel had opened into a large room. He looked around in awe, admiring the ancient drawings carved into the stone walls. 

_How much would Kiyo give to be with me right now?_ Shuichi walked up to the foot of the wall, his neck cramping as he tilted his head back to look up at the drawings. 

There were clear depictions of Lunala and Solgaleo here, not as detailed as Lunala in real life, but much more comprehensive than the images Kiyo had shown him in the binder back at the Litra museum. He remembered his hypothesis about there being depictions of the Beasts of Light in the ruins that Angie were familiar with, his possible explanation for how she had drawn Lunala after the night of the sinking ship. These images were much cleaner and more well-maintained, but they wouldn’t have been a good enough explanation for the detail she had included in her drawing. 

Shuichi walked along the foot of the wall to view as much of the carvings as he could. He was almost tempted to take out his phone and take pictures but decided against it. For whatever reason, Tapu Lele had allowed him to enter the ruins; he wasn’t going to do anything that might offend her. 

He paused when he saw one specific image on the wall: an oblong-shaped object with small ridges all the way around. It looked like a silhouette of Nebby, as he was now. What did Mukuro call it? 

“Cosmoem,” Shuichi whispered. Now that he looked more closely, he could see other carvings depicting Cosmog, clearly identifiable by the round body and two pom-poms. 

Mukuro said Lunala had evolved from a Cosmoem, who had evolved from one of the Cosmog she had rescued from Paradise. Junko had said Cosmog was the gift the Beasts of Light had bestowed upon the ancient kings. If Lunala evolved from Cosmog, then what was the relationship between them? Clearly…

“Cosmog are the offspring of Lunala,” he realized. Lunala had gifted the ancient kings with her children. As long as the kings kept the Cosmog safe, they would retain the protection Lunala offered. 

_Who would have thought Nebby is the child of Legendaries?_

“Shuichiiii,” the voice called. 

Shuichi turned to the other end of the room, an open doorway inviting him to continue his journey through the ruins. His footsteps echoed around the open room as he approached the doorway. He peered through, the narrow tunnel dark but the room on the other side being as brightly lit as the large one. In this smaller room was a shrine, two rickety wooden staircases leading up to a stone statue decorated with flowers and ti leaves. He stepped closer to the shrine but didn’t climb the stairs, worried he would be crossing a boundary.

“Come with meeee,” the voice was louder than ever, but he still couldn’t see the speaker.

After taking a deep breath, he climbed one of the staircases, stepping in front of the statue. The statue itself was decorated with flowers and ti leaves, none of them wilted or brown, which meant they were fresh. He guessed Makana and the other priestesses maintained the shrine, bringing in fresh flowers and removing the old. 

With no obvious path to keep following, Shuichi knelt before the statue, waiting patiently for whatever was going to happen next. He sat in silence, contemplating the events that brought him here. Perhaps this is what the priests and priestesses did whenever they came here, waiting for Tapu Lele to speak with them.

“Um…,” Shuichi tentatively spoke into the silence, “I don’t know why you brought me here, but it must be important. Keahi said you were scared when the Ultra Wormholes appeared in Alola. I promise… I will save the islands from Necrozma.”

He thought he heard the wind, which would have been impossible given how far into the mountainside he was. He waited a few minutes, wanting to see if Tapu Lele would speak again, but all he heard was the soft rushing, which might have been the sound of his own blood circulating, or the strange buzzing ambiance people would hear in silent surroundings. When the silence persisted, Shuichi stood up and turned away from the statue, ready to exit the ruins and return to his friends.

“When the time comes, we will be there with you,” the voice whispered directly in his ear. He would have jumped in shock from it speaking right behind him, but he felt oddly calm.

*Aether Paradise*

Chisa Yukizome was there to greet them at the docks, bright and cheery despite the circumstances and the early hour. She immediately approached Makoto and Kyoko, nearly sweeping both into her arms, then turned to Mukuro and did pull the younger woman into an embrace.

“Wow,” Uncle Jiro looked around the docks. “This place is impressive.”

There was a noticeable difference in the mood of Paradise from when the group infiltrated it months ago. Before, Shuichi and his friends knew they were in danger, and the white halls carried with them an eerie sense of peril. Now, there was an obvious sense of calmness, as if the entirety of Paradise had been holding its breath and, upon Junko’s expulsion, released the held breath and began breathing evenly.

“Yeah, it’s also terrifying when everyone inside it wants you dead,” said Ryoma.

“Not everyone,” Chisa insisted, releasing Mukuro from the hug. “Keep in mind, the vast majority of the Aether employees here weren’t involved in the secret research, and everyone who was didn’t know Junko’s true goal. Nagisa was the one researching the Ultra Wormholes and the Cosmog and even he didn’t know about summoning Necrozma.”

“But I was attacked,” Shuichi spoke. “Some employees cornered me here at the docks.”

“It’s likely Junko told them you and your friends were hostile intruders,” Chisa responded, “like how Paradise was alerted to Aoi and the others’ arrival.” She pulled out the small radio that had received messages when they had hidden in the infirmary.

“Not just likely,” Mukuro muttered. “Pretty much confirmed.”

“Most of the people here are innocent workers who believed in what the foundation stood for,” Chisa went on to explain. “They’re not bad people, and the ones who were… they’ve been dealt with.”

Everyone wisely kept their mouths shut. They didn’t need to know exactly how the International Police dealt with people who… needed to be dealt with. It was better to not ask questions and keep the officers as allies. 

“First thing’s first,” said Kyoko, “you mentioned you found some useful information concerning Junko’s mechanism?”

“Yes,” Chisa affirmed, gesturing for the group to follow her to the elevator.

“Mechanism?” Kaede whispered. “What mechanism?”

“The machines powering the Ultra Wormhole?” Maki guessed. 

For a moment, Shuichi feared they were returning to the secret labs, exhaling slowly in relief when the platform continued to rise. The last time he had been down there was when they retrieved the dead Type: Null for its burial. That had been enough; he didn’t want to go back. The platform rose to one of the higher floors, but still beneath the conservation area.

“This is where the research Junko doesn’t have hidden is conducted,” Chisa explained, stepping off the elevator. 

It looked like any other floor of Paradise (except the secret labs) and Shuichi vaguely wondered if new employees got lost often, believing they were on the third floor when they were on the fifth. Chisa clearly knew where she was going and led them to a large door marked “Lab 1.” Thankfully, it didn’t look like the secret labs; instead, it more closely resembled a library with bookshelves around the perimeter of the room stuffed full of books and tables with expensive-looking equipment piled on top in the middle. There were people in the lab, who stopped what they were doing and turned to see the group of strangers entering. Shuichi stiffened for a moment upon seeing the scientists, since they were wearing a similar outfit to the Nihilego wranglers, but they didn’t have masks or gloves.

“Miss Yukizome,” one of the scientists greeted Chisa, “I assume you are here for the information on the PowerLock?”

“Yes,” Chisa affirmed, having the rest of the group sit at the tables while she waited for the scientists to retrieve a binder and return with it. 

Chisa picked a collapsible easel leaning against a bare patch of wall and unfolded it, opening the binder and placing it on the easel. The pictures in the binder were fairly large, allowing everyone to get a vague look at what she was presenting, but they would need to take a closer look for greater details.

“This is the PowerLock,” Chisa presented. Shuichi recognized the image on the page as the mechanism Junko had worn on her forearm. “It’s an original creation of the Aether Foundation. I believe you’ve already seen it used in action.”

“She used it to Mega Evolve four Pokémon at the same time,” Kokichi spoke up.

“Exactly. The PowerLock was designed to unlock a Pokémon’s full potential, be it Mega evolution, Z-Moves, hidden abilities, or raw power.”

“What’s gonna happen if she uses it on Necrozma?” Miu asked.

“That’s what we’re afraid of,” Makoto answered. “We still know so little about Necrozma, but according to the information Nagisa has provided, Necrozma is a ‘shattered’ individual. It may be too broken to wield its true power. That might be why Junko was unable to control it when we confronted her.”

“Just because she can’t control Necrozma, does not mean she’s defenseless,” said Kyoko. “Necrozma itself is unpredictable, but so is Junko. We have to consider both of them to be equal, dangerous threats.”

“But if we take out the PowerLock…?” Rantaro wondered.

“She can’t force her Pokémon beyond their limits!” Kaede finished for him.

“Exactly,” Chisa agreed. “She controls her Pokémon through the threat of pain and suffering. The PowerLock helps them reach their full potential, but at an agonizing cost. They suffer when Mega evolved, only obeying with the promise of being released from it.”

“Then why are they loyal at all?” Kirumi asked.

“They’re not,” Mukuro spat. “They’re enslaved. If we break Junko’s PowerLock, we break the only hold she has on her Pokémon, and I assure you, they won’t stay by her side once they’re freed.” She looked to Makoto and Victini, a spark of understanding in her eye.

Shuichi remembered wondering if Makoto was Victini’s only Pokémon, but now he realized he had never seen Victini be contained in a Pokéball. Was Victini captured, or did it stay by Makoto’s side solely because of loyalty?

The door to the lab opened again, drawing their attention. Nagisa stood in the doorway, clutching a box to his chest. Shuichi recognized the box instantly, relieved the document had survived Guzzlord’s attack, although the box did look a little more beat up than he remembered. Nagisa approached the group occupying the tables, setting the box down on a tabletop.

“There’s a distinct dichotomy between legends and reality,” he announced. “But if you analyze the old stories with the perspective of those who witnessed the events, you will find semblances of the true events that took place.” He slid the lid out of the box’s grooves, put on a pair of gloves he pulled from his lab coat pocket, and gingerly picked up the document. 

“This… is the story of the Pillager of Light.”

Kiyo made a strange sound, which Shuichi assumed was an odd combination of relief and excitement. Miu immediately made a disgusted face, then recoiled when Kirumi shot a glare at her. Honestly, Shuichi was excited the story had survived as well; not as excited as Kiyo, but still. That document was as much an artifact of ancient Alolan history as the drawings he saw on the walls in the Ruins of Life were, or the Z-Crystals themselves.

“After the Beasts of Light shaped this world’s light into the sun and moon,” Nagisa began to narrate, “a mysterious individual appeared from the heavens and devoured the light, plunging the world into darkness. This individual became known as ‘the Pillager of Light’ for its actions. When the ancient Lunala and Solgaleo attempted to fight against the Pillager, it absorbed them into its body as fragments of light. With the world thrust into darkness, members of the four families called upon the Guardian deities, pleading for help to recover the light. One young individual from each family partnered themselves with the deities, their bond represented by a unique Z-Crystal, different from the elemental crystals.”

Shuichi recalled Yuta’s ascension to the role of Poni Kahuna, how the young man had presented the off-yellow-colored Z-Crystal to Puanani and the woman’s horror as her own Z-Crystal shattered. That crystal must be the one Nagisa was referring to: a Z-Crystal specifically meant to be used by the Tapu. 

“These four individuals became the first Kahunas, the ones responsible for communing with the Guardian deities and protecting the islands. Through this bond, they attacked the Pillager and freed the Beasts of Light. Lunala and Solgaleo turned on the Pillager, driving it away from this world in the same method it arrived.”

“Through the Ultra Wormhole,” Shuichi proclaimed.

“Yes.”

“Did Necrozma open the wormhole?” asked Kaito. “Or did a Cosmog?”

“The story doesn’t specify,” Nagisa replied. “But, there does lie the issue. You all are here to defeat Necrozma once and for all, but Necrozma isn’t here currently. We either need to venture into Ultra Space to find it or summon it here and attack.”

“I vote for the first one!” Kaito exclaimed excitedly. 

“There’s no guaranteed way of tracking Necrozma through Ultra Space,” Kyoko informed. “We’d be risking getting lost in another world, unable to return.”

“But it can be done, right?” Kaito insisted. “We can traverse Ultra Space in some way, right?”

“Ultra Space can be traversed,” Nagisa confirmed. “Even in a large group like this, but Kyoko’s right. Unless we have visual contact of Necrozma or the radiation trail it leaves through Ultra Space, it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly where it is. But, there is a way of bringing it here.”

“How?” Maki inquired. “Wouldn’t we basically be offering our world on a silver platter?”

“Unfortunately, yes. We’d be using the world’s light as bait, but if we want to defeat Necrozma, we have to find it, and since we can’t track it through Ultra Space, this is the best option we have. Unless we want to get lost in Ultra Space.”

Maki gave Kaito a side-glance. “As much as some of us here would probably enjoy that, I guess we don’t have a choice. So, how do we bring it here?”

“Using this.”

Shuichi flinched upon hearing the familiar voice. He turned in his chair to observe the Monokubs approaching them, Monotaro holding a small, strange chest in his arms. Kaito leapt out of his chair, the memories of how hostile the Monokubs were to him and his friends overwhelming his recollection of the Monokubs turning against Junko and Monokuma for the sake of protecting their Ultra Beasts. His fists clenched, prepared to defend his friends if the Monokubs decided to attack, but Shuichi grabbed his forearm.

“They’re our allies, remember? They betrayed Monokuma.”

Kaito froze, the memories coming back to him. He growled and glared at the Monokubs but sat back down in his chair. He wasn’t quite ready to trust them yet, but if Shuichi did, then he was willing to make an effort. Mukuro stood up from her chair and took the chest from Monotaro, bringing it, surprisingly, to Angie.

“Is this it?” Angie nearly squealed with excitement, drawing looks of confusion from her friends.

“Yes,” said Mukuro. “In this box is the Moon Flute.”

“Moon…Flute?” Tenko repeated. “Like a PokéFlute?”

“Not exactly.”

Angie wasn’t paying attention though, eagerly trying several methods to open the chest, including several unorthodox ones. Gonta took it from her and tried using brute force, eventually passing it to Miu and Keebo, who tried prying it open with screwdrivers. 

“It’s voice-locked,” Mukuro revealed after several attempts from various individuals.

“Y’know, you could’ve told us that from the start,” Kaede griped.

“I wanted to see if it could be opened without the lock. Clearly…no.” Mukuro took the chest back, the surface of it barely scratched from everyone’s attempts. “It only opens on Junko’s command.”

“Do you have a recording of her voice?” Shuichi questioned. Mukuro shook her head in response, prompting Shuichi to think of other options. “Wait… Tsumugi! You impersonated Junko before! Can’t you do it again?”

“I was out of my mind then,” she replied.

“Maybe that’s a requirement,” Himiko shrugged.

“C’mon Tsumugi! You can do it!” Tenko encouraged her.

Tsumugi grumbled, clearly not happy about impersonating Junko of her own accord, but, as Shuichi said, she had done it before. That meant she was capable of doing it again, right? Mukuro passed the chest to Tsumugi, who cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

“Mukuro, you flat-chested whore-slut!”

The awkward silence following her shriek was deafening. Shuichi coughed and turned away, embarrassed on Tsumugi’s behalf; although, she was obviously embarrassed by her words as well.

“Sorry,” she mumbled to Mukuro, who wasn’t frowning but had tightened her jaw. “I mostly remember her screaming insults.”

“That just makes it more accurate,” Mukuro replied firmly. “Try again.”

“And you’re a bitch,” Tsumugi tried speaking the words she had said while in her delirium. 

An audible click resounded, prompting several attendees to sigh in relief. Tsumugi pushed the unlocked chest toward Angie, who was nearly bouncing with excitement but managed to control herself enough to gently lift the lid and take the artifact out. The Moon Flute was a light purple-blue color and had the same emblem on its side as Shuichi had seen at the Altar of the Moone: the two conjoined scythes with the small head.

“This has been lost for decades,” Angie whispered, her eyes starting to cloud with tears. “Where did she find it?”

“The Keala family had it hidden,” Mukuro answered. “They surrendered it when they allied themselves with Junko.”

Kyoko frowned deeply, her brow furrowed. Everyone was too interested in the Moon Flute to notice, but Shuichi and Makoto saw her expression. Makoto put a hand on her shoulder while Shuichi turned away, afraid she would notice he was watching.

“What about the Sun Flute?” Angie asked. “Is it still…?”

“Yes,” Chisa confirmed. “The Sun Flute is still safe on Exeggutor Island. We believe Junko analyzed the two flutes and their harmonized melodies, then used those harmonies to build her machines to power the Ultra Wormhole. She most likely returned the Sun Flute because its location was known by others and its absence would be noticed, but the Moon Flute, as you mentioned, was allegedly lost.”

“What is the purpose of these flutes?” Kiyo asked.

“’The ancient kings sang their thanks; for Beast of Light with song of flute; Two tones rang out across the altar; a perfect pair, ever after mute,’” Angie recited. “The two flutes were created to give thanks to the Beasts of Light.”

“Correct,” said Nagisa, “but _when_ were the flutes created? At what point in the ancient stories’ chronology?”

Based on Angie’s confused look of realization, she didn’t know and had never thought about it before.

“Junko was able to create the machines to open the wormhole based on the synchronizations of the flutes,” Nagisa explained. “Going by that logic, there must be something about the song that relates back to Ultra Space; something that opens Ultra Wormholes. That’s why, we hypothesize, the flutes were created _after_ the story of the Pillager of Light occurred. It was the kings’ way of giving thanks to the Beasts, by playing a song they recognized and resonated with them.”

“What song?” Kokichi questioned. 

“This one,” Angie turned the flute so the two-scythe emblem was facing him, revealing several small grooves. She traced a finger across each groove, humming the notes.

“So, what does this all mean?” Kaede spoke.

“We collect the Sun Flute, take both flutes to the Altar of the Sunne, and play the song in unison,” Makoto explained. “If Nagisa’s hypothesis is correct, the song should open an Ultra Wormhole, and, hopefully, signal to Necrozma a doorway to our world has been opened. It’ll come through… and we’ll attack.”

“This is a big risk,” said Jiro. “You’re bringing this creature, this _thing_ , that devours light to our world. Like Maki said, we’re offering the world on a silver platter.”

“We know it’s risky,” Kyoko remarked, “but we can’t let Necrozma wander unchecked. It remembers our world and it will return to feed upon our light. It’s best we take it out before it sneaks in without us noticing. We have the weapon to destroy it, and we must.”

“Then let’s go get that flute!” Miu shouted. “Necrozma can kiss my ass!”

“And Junko and Papa Kuma will be arrested, right?” said Monophanie.

“As agreed,” Chisa confirmed. “As long as you five are witnesses at their sentencing, and you _behave_ yourselves, you will be allowed to go free— and keep your Ultra Beasts.”

“So, I guess it’s off to this… Exeggutor Island?” said Shuichi. 

“It’s an islet off the coast of Poni Island,” Mukuro explained. “We’ll converge on Poni Island and a small group will go to Exeggutor Island to retrieve the Sun Flute, then regroup and travel to the Altar.”

“Mukuro,” Kyoko spoke up, “can we rely on you to lead the expedition? Makoto, Chisa, and I need to check on something before we sail to Poni Island.”

“You can count on me,” Mukuro nodded.

“May… may I please see the document? And the flute?” Kiyo asked, his voice tremoring slightly and his hands trembling.

“Later,” Kirumi stated firmly, grabbing him by the shoulder. “There are more important things to do first.”

“…Promise?”

*

After seeing the rest of the group off at the docks, Kyoko, Makoto, and Chisa made their way up to the living quarters. None of the employees knew about their secret “guest” who, despite being held against her will, was being kept in comfort. The original plan was to escort her from the islands, since she was technically a criminal and needed to be charged, but she made it perfectly clear her lips were sealed if they took her from Alola. She knew things about their current situation; they couldn’t risk her never speaking them.

“Greetings, Puanani,” Kyoko stepped into the room, her hands clasped behind her back.

The elderly woman turned her head to glare at her guests before facing the large window once more, gazing out over the water.

“You are aware of what occurred late afternoon, New Year’s Eve,” said Chisa. “You must know how much danger the islands are in.”

“If you hadn’t interfered, the incident wouldn’t have happened,” Puanani replied curtly. 

“Junko is not working in your favor,” Makoto asserted. “I don’t know what she promised you— since you won’t tell us— but she intends to capture and use Necrozma for nefarious purposes.”

“What matters is Necrozma will be neutralized,” Puanani spat. “What happens to it afterwards isn’t our concern.”

“It is when Junko would be in possession of it,” Chisa snapped.

“She was upholding her promise; we were more than happy to help. She was ensuring the Alolan Pokémon were returned to the islands, and that the islands would be safe from Necrozma’s influence.”

“She purposefully summoned Necrozma here,” Kyoko cut in. “And clearly, her methods of neutralizing it were far from perfect. She could have doomed our world by bringing it here.”

“It was better to summon Necrozma and deal with it directly than let it wander unhindered,” Puanani responded. “It would return someday, but this way, we would not be blindsided by its arrival.”

“I can only hope you realize, someday, the events you have put in motion. The travesties you are…” Kyoko, despite trying to maintain a calm façade, clenched her fist as memories began to surface of what felt like a lifetime ago. “The travesties you are responsible for. Once Necrozma is defeated, you will be transported out of the region to stand trial for your crimes. I hope it was worth it, whatever she promised you.”

*Exeggutor Island*

It was currently the rainy season in Alola, and Shuichi could see dark clouds moving in to drench the islands. He felt a stab of fear each time he saw the clouds, remembering the tropical storm. Angie reassured him it was just rain, since there was no wind building, but he couldn’t help it. Still, he somehow managed to muster the courage to accompany Mukuro and Angie to Exeggutor Island to retrieve the Sun Flute.

The air was thick with moisture, indicating the imminent rain on the horizon. Shuichi felt drenched despite the clouds having not arrived yet. The ground was spongy, and he slid when he attempted to climb up a small slope, his burned thigh pulsing with pain. He was forced to stiffen his lower body and stand still, waiting for the pulsing to fade. He was not looking forward to the hike through the Ancient Poni Path. 

“Are you okay?” Mukuro asked, her and Angie pausing at the peak of the slope and looking back at him.

“My leg hurts a little,” he admitted.

“It’s not far!” Angie encouraged him. “Just at the top of that small plateau.”

“Right,” Shuichi exhaled, willing himself to move again. 

The pain had dulled but hadn’t faded completely. Every time it hurt, he worried about any possible permanent effects the burn might have. Maybe he was just overreacting, especially since the doctor said it was only a first-degree burn, but he couldn’t help but worry. If he couldn’t run, or was hindered in his pace, his career as a detective could be threatened.

Mukuro came back down the slope, sliding slightly in the mud, and helped him reach the summit. They weren’t at the highest peak of the islet yet, but Shuichi was able to look back and see the rustling long grasses and the tall-necked Alolan Exeggutors soaking up the sun’s rays before the rains came. The trio continued their way to the small plateau-top of the hill, a pedestal waiting for them. Angie approached the pedestal and picked up a swaddled bundle. With a tender gentleness, she unwrapped the bundle, revealing the Sun Flute.

The flute was pale yellow with orange and red banding. It also had an emblem, like the moon flute, except the emblem resembled a sun with four large points and four small ones. Shuichi almost thought it looked like a Solrock. Angie stepped away from the pedestal and presented the flute to Mukuro and Shuichi, who didn’t look upon it with as much reverence as she did, but still admired the relic. Shuichi took it from her hands and investigated the emblem, noticing the same grooves that were on the Moon Flute.

_Never, in my life, would I ever believe I’d be standing here, holding an ancient Alolan artifact in my hands. Never would I ever think any of this would happen to me. Half a year ago, I was sitting at my desk in my uncle’s agency, happily filling out paperwork and training with Uncle Jiro and Jun._

“A lot’s changed, hasn’t it?” Angie spoke up, having realized he was reminiscing.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “We better rejoin the others. They’re probably getting stir-crazy.”

Given his unsteadiness, Shuichi passed the flute back to Angie as they descended the slopes back to the boat the Sea Folk had loaned them. The others were waiting in the village for their return, ready to set off for the canyon. Several of them had expressed excitement for what lie ahead, and Shuichi wished he could have that much enthusiasm. The boat ride back to Poni Island was uneventful, Angie practicing the fingering for the song on the flute but not blowing into the instrument.

 _The two flutes must be played in unison,_ Shuichi remembered. _Who are we going to have play them? Angie seems familiar enough with the song, maybe she could teach one of the others?_

There was a crowd waiting for them at the docks, composed of not only his friends, but also of Kyoko, Makoto, and Chisa, who had arrived after completing whatever task they need to on Aether Paradise, as well as Aoi, Yuta, Sakura, Chihiro, Kiyotaka, and Mondo. Kiyo almost bowled Angie over in his eagerness to see the Sun Flute, the Moon Flute clutched tightly in his hand. Shuichi almost stumbled stepping off the boat, but Mondo grabbed his arm and prevented him from falling.

“This is all we needed, right? We can go?” Kaito asked, nearly bursting with excitement.

“We have a ferry coming with supplies,” said Chisa. “And the Monokubs are joining us.”

“Monokubs…?” Kaito deflated. “We don’t need them.”

“They insisted,” Aoi stated, “but they won’t be here until tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Kaede repeated. “I thought we were starting things today.”

“Not with that,” Aoi pointed to the dark clouds closing in. “The ferry is bringing camping supplies. We’ll spend the night at the altar and get things rolling in the morning.”

“I don’t wanna camp in the rain,” Kokichi complained.

“It’ll be fun!” Angie insisted. “The coziness of being in a tent, the togetherness, listening to the rain hitting the tent roof…”

“I’m gonna be up peeing all night,” Himiko muttered. 

Angie looked to Aoi, Yuta, and Sakura and then began looking around for someone who wasn’t there. “Where’s Papa?”

At first, Shuichi wondered why her father would be here. After all, Aoi, Yuta, and Sakura weren’t members of the International Police, but they were invaluable allies. Then he remembered the trio were three of the four Kahunas. If they were here, then maybe it would make sense that Keoni be here as well.

“Keoni volunteered to stay behind,” Sakura explained. “He claimed he was too old for such an adventure and offered to help keep the islands calm in our absence.”

The distinctive white ferry belonging to the Aether Foundation came into their view, skimming smoothly on the ocean’s surface. It looked out of place among the colorful, wooden boats that resembled Pokémon. An Aether employee docked the boat and began throwing several bundles to Kiyotaka and Mondo. The bundles were clearly the tents, but they also unloaded some long planks of wood. When questioned, they explained the planks were a part of the tents. Shuichi didn’t know what kind of tents these were but figured they must be special in some way since he had never seen a camping tent that required wooden planks. Kaito snagged one of the bundles and tried opening it, but Makoto grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Please don’t unpack the tents; they’re difficult to get back in.”

Realizing they were going to need to lug all these supplies through the canyon, Mosaic, Silver, Blazer, and Tropius were released from their Pokéballs to take some of the burden. One of the Sea Folk offered some rope to create harnesses for the Pokémon. Shuichi rigged a harness for Mosaic and was about to do the same for Blazer, but Jiro stopped him from doing so.

“Your right leg is trembling,” Jiro pointed out. “You’re not going to last the hike if what Rantaro and Kaede described the canyon to be like is the truth. Ride on Blazer’s back.”

Shuichi grimaced at the thought. Sure, he had ridden Blazer during the pursuit of the escaping traffickers, but that had been a split-second decision. If he lost the truck, then he lost the stolen Pokémon. This wasn’t the same; they weren’t in a race against time and he could handle the hike just fine. He opened his mouth to voice this opinion when Mondo missed a tent bundle being thrown to him, causing it to bounce and hit Shuichi in the back of his right leg. He yelped and fell to the dock, gritting his teeth from strain and stretch of his burned skin.

“Okay,” he squeaked. “That sounds good.”

The first drops of rain began to fall once they reached the entrance of the path through the canyon, dark speckles slowly collecting into puddles on the stony ground. This wasn’t a gentle drizzle, but rather fat raindrops that almost felt like hail and rapidly collected into a thick sheet of water, sending them running for the entrance to cave-like tunnels of the Ancient Poni Path. Despite it being noon by this point, the sky had darkened like the light had already been stolen.

“I’m worried about crossing those bridges in this downpour,” Keebo remarked.

“Don’t worry,” Aoi assured him, “the water falls right off. It doesn’t have enough space on the bridges to create a torrent.”

“I didn’t even like crossing the bridges when it was sunny.”

Kokichi twisted the hem of his shirt, squeezing the water out of it and grimacing when he let it go and it slapped wetly against his hip. Mondo’s pompadour was starting to droop into his face. His eyes narrowed in irritation and Shuichi couldn’t help but watch in rapt fascination as Mondo ran his fingers through the pompadour, breaking it apart into long, stringy strands that he tied back with a ponytail holder Kiyotaka summoned from his pockets. Uncle Jiro removed his shoes and dumped water out of them, Yuta commenting that was the exact reason why he and Aoi wore water-proof shoes that drained any water that managed to get inside.

Miu released her Flaaffy and had her light the path with her tail orb. The darkened sky outside wasn’t providing enough lighting to the tunnels and cave for them to safely walk through without a different light source. Shuichi settled onto Blazer’s back, fingers gripping the Stoutland’s scruff to anchor himself. This wasn’t going to be like last time where Blazer was galloping through the streets, but his thick fur was wet from the rain, already uncomfortably soaking into Shuichi’s pants and boxers, and Shuichi feared he would slide off if he wasn’t paying attention.

The group set off into the tunnels, the distant roar of the torrential downpour fading then growing louder as they moved through each tunnel, leaving and approaching each exit/entrance. The water was cascading down from the stone bridges like a waterfalls and Shuichi couldn’t help but think of his previous thoughts the last time they were here. Water had carved this canyon; thousands, if not millions, of years of downpours and cascades that cut through the rock and whittled the stony surface little by little. Even if he couldn’t see it happening before his eyes, he knew the water was still carving the stone, redefining the contours of the rock walls and tunnels. In a hundred years’ time, would it still look the same? Then again, did anything?

“Um… Detective Kirigiri?” Kaede sped up her pace to reach Kyoko and Chisa, who were leading the pack. “What about the Keala family? Were they ever removed from the canyon?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Kyoko replied. “As much pleasure as it would give me to drag them out of here to face reality.”

“Wow, you sound like you’re carrying a heavy load about this.”

“Let’s just say… I don’t like hypocrites who think they’re working for the benefit of others; especially when they’re blind to the detriments of their own actions.”

“What if they threaten us?” Kaede wondered. “There’s a lot of us here, but there’re more of them.”

“If push comes to shove, we shove hard,” Mukuro replied darkly. “Our mission is more important than their lives.”

“That… that’s messed up,” Chihiro whispered.

Mukuro shrugged indifferently. “You don’t go through years of trauma and come out the other side a well-adjusted individual.”

They emerged into the largest cave, the slope against the wall curving downward to the floor and the entrance to the trial grounds. The two statues were still standing guard on either side of the hole in the wall, but the low lighting made them appear more menacing than before. There were no Pokémon in the coarse grasses, nor any cave Pokémon hanging on the walls or the ceiling or hidden among the boulders on the ground. It was eerily quiet, the only sound being their footsteps against the stone floor.

Kyoko paused at the entrance to the trial grounds and released her three Pokémon, ready to take the brunt of any attack the Keala family might send at them. Victini was on Makoto’s shoulder, little fingers tightly gripping his hair. Beartic and Ursaring led the way while Midnight Lycanroc lingered by Kyoko but sniffed the air and growled while the former two flexed their claws. Mosaic, despite being burdened with some of the tent bags, tensed himself for an attack, strategically sandwiching Blazer and Shuichi between himself and Uncle Jiro.

“Halt!” The dimness of the tunnel exploded into light, blinding the group and causing a slight panic. Several members of the Keala family descended from walkways above blocking the path, strings of light crisscrossing between the paths.

“If you value your lives, move it,” Mukuro threatened, stepping up to stand beside Beartic and Ursaring.

One of the young men darted forward, clearly believing Mukuro wasn’t as much of a threat as she was presenting herself as. She deftly grabbed the wrist of his attacking arm, turned to the side, and elbowed him in the ribs with her free arm. He gasped and wheezed, the wind knocked out of him as he dropped to the ground. Another family member emerged from the stone bubble to the group’s right and attempted to strike down Kyoko with a thick, wooden club. Lycanroc caught the club between her paws, sneering at the family member and yanking the weapon from their grasp. With the family member unbalanced, Kyoko jabbed them in the stomach and shoved them away, taking a moment to readjust her glove before straightening up. 

Chisa’s head snapped as another family member jumped down from the walkways and attempted to tackle her. Shuichi wished he had the ability to slow down time and see, piece by piece, the movement she made. In what seemed like an instant, her Audino was beside her after the flash of light, delivering a Low Kick attack that knocked the family member’s legs out from under them. The family member went crashing to the floor but leapt back to their feet, only to be knocked back by a powerful Return attack.

Realizing they were dealing with experienced fighters, rather than just Shuichi’s ragtag group of friends, the Keala family tried to surge forward and overwhelm them. It might have worked, since Kaede had mentioned the group was outnumbered, if not for Makoto shocking everyone into silence. With a flourish, the young man drew the very same heat-ray gun that had burned Shuichi from his jacket and fired it into one of the stone arches. The rock lit up and the air crackled with heat. The family members froze, shocked by what they just witnessed. Makoto lowered his arm slightly, pointing the weapon at the family.

“We must reach the Altar of the Sunne, step aside.”

“Bad _ass_ ,” Miu whispered in a tone of admiration. Shuichi was also surprised by Makoto’s sudden shift in personality. The young man had always had an aura of friendliness and, sometimes, clumsiness.

“This is sacred ground!” one of the family members shouted. “You’re not worthy of seeing the altar! Leave this place!”

“What makes you more worthy than us?” Angie spat. “You gave Junko Enoshima the Moon Flute; we’re here to stop her and Necrozma. Which of those actions seems more noble?”

“You had a chance to stop Necrozma before, but you didn’t. Why should we trust you now?”

“I doubt there’s anything we can say that will satisfy you,” Shuichi spoke, “but there are few alternatives. We have the Beast Killer, the weapon to destroy Necrozma… what does Junko have anymore?”

Some of the family members faltered, exchanging glances between them. Some of them relaxed their arms, the fight leaving their bodies. They weren’t the villains of this story; more like victims, just like the people of Ultra Megalopolis. Victims of circumstance, victims of desperation, victims of Junko’s manipulations. Makoto began to lower his arm, judging the family members were gradually becoming less of a threat.

Suddenly, a rock thrown from one of the family members still on the upper walkways struck him in the head. Makoto gasped in pain, dropping to his knees and applying pressure to the wound. Kyoko rushed over to him, trying to move his hands to check his injury. 

“Sucker punch!” Aoi scolded the attacking family member. “How dare you!”

“At least have the honorability to come down and fight head-on!” Kiyotaka demanded.

The tunnel was overwhelmed with the echoing cacophony of several voices as the family members and Shuichi’s group devolved into arguing. Shuichi noticed Mosaic was becoming more stressed, his talons digging into the stone floor and his crest flaring. If he wasn’t laden down with his load, Shuichi was sure he would have leapt into action. Blazer was growling deep in his throat, throwing his head side to side.

“Stop!” It wasn’t a verbal command; everyone heard it, but it was more of an echo in their heads than an echo off the stony walls.

A bolt of electricity shot over their heads, striking the floor and sending reverberating vibrations up everyone’s legs. The air crackled, everyone’s hair and clothing filled with static. The blast of light from the bolt cleared, revealing four figures standing between the Keala family and the others. Each figure was unique but a subtle similarity between them hinted they were connected. Kaede gasped upon seeing the blue and purple one, but Shuichi’s gaze was drawn to the pink one. In the back of his memory, he recalled the wooden idol Wikolia had taken to the Ruins of Life, the one he thought had looked like upside-down top. The pink individual looked as if it would have the same shape if it retracted its head.

Angie cried out and dropped to her knees, bowing lowly until her forehead touched the stone floor. Yuta, Aoi, and Sakura each dropped to their knees as well, although they didn’t bow. The Keala family whimpered in apparent fear, backing away from the four figures. The orange and yellow one, a tall crest flaring from its head, floated forward, threateningly holding out one arm, which was adorned with a strange, flat shell.

“Tapu Koko,” one of the family members murmured.

“Tapu?” Shuichi whispered softly.

The pink individual left the other three and approached Angie, urging the young woman to rise from the floor. The other three drifted apart, standing beside the three present Kahunas. Shuichi swung his leg over Blazer’s side of slid off the Stoutland’s back. He stumbled slightly but walked managed to walk forward to the pink individual.

“I promised,” the whispery voice from Memorial Hill sounded in his head. “I promised when the time came, we would be there for you.”

“Tapu Lele,” he realized. “These are…?”

“Let them pass,” Tapu Koko commanded. “They walk with the blessing of the Tapu. The fate of the islands rests with them.”

The Keala family members recoiled as if Tapu Koko had struck them with electricity. They retreated further into what few shadows remained in the tunnel before bolting. The pathways above became clear of any presence, the rapid footsteps of the family members fading into the hidden tunnels.

“They will not bother you,” Tapu Koko stated. 

“Please do not harbor hatred for them,” Tapu Fini pled. “They have lost their way and their fear was manipulated. Any individual can fall to fear.”

“And I promise to guide them back to the light,” Yuta vowed.

“The Tapu,” Kiyo whimpered, more out of reverence than fear. “The Guardian deities of the Alolan Islands. Protectors of the land. Partners of the Kahunas. Embodiments of nature.”

“This is real,” Shuichi whispered. “This is all real.” He clutched at his Z-Ring, drawing Tapu Lele’s attention.

“Come with us, Shuichi. We will be with you and your friends the entire journey.”

The lights the family had used to illuminate the tunnel had died out, but the dull lighting from the exit of the tunnel before them was enough to brighten their path. Beyond the exit was an immense staircase that would carry them towards the sky, to the Altar of the Sunne. They approached the exit, the rain forming a sheet that covered the hole in the stone wall. Even through the downpour, Shuichi could see the outline of the staircase. He felt his heart begin to beat faster; whether it was from fear or excitement, he couldn't tell. The true journey started here, at the foot of the staircase, and it would continue to the top of the altar, and unbeknowst to the travelers, to Ultra Space beyond.

And they were guided by the Tapu every step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to formally apologize. At some point during the editing process for the previous chapter, a large portion of the hospital scene was deleted and I didn't notice for a long time. So, to anyone who read the last chapter and felt like there was a sudden jump (sudden change in conversation, characters who weren't there before) it's because there was. Unfortunately, by the time I discovered it, the Word document I use to write up the chapter drafts had already been updated, so I had to rewrite the scene based on what I remembered. I recommend going back to the scene and reading it, now that it makes sense.


	23. A World Lost in Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi follows Necrozma through Ultra Space to the world where it all began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Solgaleo (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Bisharp, Marowak, Togekiss  
> Angie Yonaga: Ribombee, Smeargle, Whimsicott, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Decidueye, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roserade (Rugosa), Zoroark (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Aegislash, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Luxray, Lairon  
> Tenko Chabashira: Blaziken, Mienshao  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Mismagius, Torracat, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Vileplume, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy), Carbink  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Chiaki Nanami: Wigglytuff, Azumarill  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Ibuki Mioda: Kricketune, Exploud  
> Sonia Nevermind: Escavalier (x2), Spiritomb  
> Gundam Tanaka: Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, Dedenne  
> Mikan Tsumiki: Chansey  
> Ryota Mitarai: Goomy  
> Teruteru Hanamura: Paras, Ambipom  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc, Beartic, Ursaring  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini, Pidgeot  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo  
> Ace: Serperior

### 

Part 3: The Blinding One

### 

Chapter 23: A World Lost in Darkness

“Lunala, can we get a little help here?”

On Mukuro’s command, Lunala burst from the tunnel, creating an open space in the sheet of water for a split second. She wheeled her wings back, tipping herself upright and looking around at the water-drenched Altar of the Sunne. Lunala exhaled slowly and began drawing the power of the moon, which wasn’t visible due to the cloud coverage and the daylight, but her power was enough to shift the clouds, providing a temporary shelter from the rain. The downpour came to a sudden stop, water dripping and trickling between the cracks and grooves of the rocks.

“This is temporary,” Mukuro explained. “If we don’t want to get rained on, we need to the top of the altar and set up camp quickly.”

The group rushed out of the tunnel and began the arduous task of climbing the stone stairs, the surface somewhat slippery from the rain. Shuichi made it about fifteen steps before admitting defeat and climbing onto Blazer’s back once more. Once they had the tents set up, he would rebind his burned thigh and apply more numbing cream. 

Once they peaked the staircase, none of them had a chance to admire the altar. Even Kiyo didn’t pause to appreciate the sights. The tent bundles were hastily removed from the Pokémon carrying them, some requiring the rope harnesses to be cut, dumping the bundles onto the ground. Kyoko and Chisa took command of directing the others in setting the tents up as quickly as possible. Turned out, the flat planks were meant for keeping the tents off the wet ground. Makoto dumped a large sack of flat, rounded stones on the ground, distributing the stones to each team setting up the tents. The planks were balanced on the stones and the tents set on top.

Due to the severity of the rain, several tarps were also packed with the tents. The tents were clustered into small groups and the tarps expanded over them, weighted poles keeping the tarps steady and stretched. Kiyotaka and Mondo also conjured a canopy from somewhere, as well as a collapsible table. Honestly, Shuichi didn’t know where all these items were coming from and realized Makoto’s statement about the tents being difficult to pack may have more truth than he first thought. If all these things could be packed into the limited number of bags and bundles they had traversed the canyon with, then the process of packing them must be staggering.

“The tents vary in how many people they can fit,” said Chisa. “Some are three-person, others are two-person, or it can differ depending on who is sleeping where.”

Shuichi and Kaito helped put the finishing touches on the tarp covering a three-person tent they had their eyes on, but Kokichi slipped past them and dove into the open tent, his body clanging harshly against the boards through the thin material of the floor, though he didn’t let it show how much it hurt.

“What are you doing?” Kaito scolded.

“I need the proper amount of space for my belongings,” Kokichi responded, smirking at Kaito.

“You didn’t bring anymore than anyone else did! Get out!”

“Make me!”

“Don’t—!” Shuichi warned too late. Kaito rushed into the tent and attempted to forcibly remove Kokichi, who kicked and squirmed with a ferocity. 

“Look, it’s a three-person tent,” Shuichi tried to deescalate the situation. “We can share it. There’s plenty of room.”

“Er—ah! Fine!” Kaito let go of the struggling Kokichi, who had latched onto one of the bendable support poles and was dragging the entire tent with him. The smaller boy let out a slight wheeze as he slammed into the ground, but quickly got back to his feet and scrambled into the tent.

A fat raindrop hit Shuichi directly between the eyes, signaling Lunala’s parting of the clouds was coming to an end. The Legendary Pokémon herself let out a slight growl as the rain began to fall again, prompting Mukuro to return her to her Pokéball before she was soaked. Everyone dived under the cover of the canopy or the tarps as the rain began to shower the altar. The planks kept the tents off the ground enough the water ran right underneath. Shuichi, Kaito, and Kokichi crowded into the three-person tent, unrolling foam mattresses and sleeping bags so they weren’t sitting on the firmness of the planks.

The tents had been set up in a circle, the canopy covering the table in the center. The four Guardian deities were clustered under the canopy, sitting idly on the table. Shuichi poked his head out of the tent, looking around the circle at all his friends as they moved around in their own tents. Himiko was standing, attempting to remove one of her shoes, before she lost her balance and crashed into Tenko and Tsumugi. Gonta had to sit hunched over in his tent, while Ryoma, whom he was sharing the space with, could freely walk around with a problem. The tennis player had removed his racket from his bag and appeared to be testing its strength and durability. Shuichi still had no idea what he intended to do with it.

Kaede was hanging a flashlight from the roof of the tent she was sharing with Maki. The beam swung back and forth each time either of the girls shifted. Mukuro was stripping off the jacket of her International Bureau uniform, revealing a simple tank top underneath. Rantaro was stretched out on his sleeping bag beside her. Apparently, she didn’t mind sharing a tent with a boy if it was him.

Shuichi’s gaze shifted, focusing on Kiyo and Kirumi in their tent. The former was sorting through his belongings, haphazardly pulling items out when he was normally so efficient. He finally extricated his notepad and began furiously writing something in it, eyes flicking up to look at the four Tapu. Kirumi picked up the items he had thrown about the tent while finding his notepad, one set of items catching Shuichi’s eye.

“Um… Kiyo?”

The man took a moment to finish what he was writing before acknowledging Shuichi. “Yes?”

“Are those chemical gloves?”

“Why yes, they are,” he replied in a pleasant tone, like there was nothing wrong with packing a pair of thick, rubber, chemical gloves for his trip to Alola.

“… _Why_ did you bring chemical gloves?”

“Under certain circumstances, modern tools are more successful than archaic ones.” Kiyo reached under the neck of his shirt and pulled out the adder stone strung around his neck. “Turns out the stories about adder stones curing poisons aren’t true. Believe me, I tried.”

“I don’t think Nihilego venom was included in the list of poisons,” Kirumi stated.

“Nevertheless,” Kiyo shrugged, dropping the adder stone back down his shirt, “I would rather prevent the poisoning from happening in the first place.”

“We can test it,” Kokichi offered, pulling one of Rugosa’s Poison Stings from his shirt.

“Put that back,” Kaito growled, grabbing his wrist while avoiding being pricked by the thorn. 

Shuichi sighed and zipped the tent door partially shut so he could remove his pants without everyone seeing. Kokichi purposefully stared at him, prompting Shuichi to kick him. The burned patch still looked painfully scorched, the chilled air causing the skin to sting slightly. He hastily rubbed some of the numbing cream onto the skin and rebandaged it, slipping his pants back on and reveling in what little warmth it offered. No doubt it was going to be a chilly night.

“Um,” Shuichi unzipped the tent and directed his comment to the Guardian deities, still clustered under the canopy, “where will you four sleep?”

“We are not as affected by temperatures as you are,” replied the red one, who looked somewhat like a Tauros with its hooves and horns. 

Shuichi ran through the mental list of what he knew about the Tapu. The pink one was Tapu Lele— he had recognized her mental voice. Kaede said the blue and purple one was Tapu Fini, guardian of Poni Island. The Keala family had stated the orange and yellow one was Tapu Koko, so the red one could only be…

 _Tapu Bulu…_ Wasn’t Tapu Bulu responsible for destroying Tapu Village? The memories of the ruined buildings surfaced in his mind. The worker at the entrance to the Pokémon Center said the inhabitants of the village had angered Tapu Bulu, and the guardian retaliated. 

The rain somehow came down harder, pounding against the tarps and canopy. Shuichi grimaced as the air turned colder, withdrawing into the tent. The four Tapu retracted into their various shells, settling on the table like they were decorations. The tent door was zipped shut, trying to conserve what heat the inhabitants could.

“This sucks,” Kokichi complained. “This is worse than the cargo hold.”

“I’d still rather be here than in the cargo hold,” Shuichi responded. “At least here, we have the option of leaving if we want to.”

“And here, we have our Pokémon,” Kaito added, opening his bag and reaching inside, drawing Nebby out.

The Cosmoem was still unresponsive, like it was nothing but an empty shell. Shuichi missed how lively and cheerful Nebby had been, teleporting around, vocalizing his little bell-chime noises. He was sure Kaito felt depressive about Nebby’s condition, wishing to have the Cosmog back, but there was no going back. There were stories of Pokémon devolving, but not many, and he doubted Nebby was going to revert back to Cosmog. No, Mukuro said Lunala evolved from Cosmoem, who evolved from Cosmog. Nebby was going to be a Lunala someday; he was going to be a legend come to life.

 _Or should I say “she?”_ Angie and Kiyo said Lunala was always referred to as female in the legends. If Nebby was going to become a Lunala, like Mukuro’s Lunala had, that meant he was technically female, right? Did that mean Solgaleo was male? Also, if Cosmog was Lunala’s offspring, how did Solgaleo fit in?

“You better put him back before he tries to float off and take the tent with him,” said Kokichi, crawling into his sleeping bag to try and stay warm. “When’s dinner?”

“It won’t be for a while,” Shuichi told him. “I have some granola bars if you’re hungry.”

Kokichi just groaned in response, claiming camping out wasn’t for him, which Shuichi understood. Not everyone was comfortable sleeping outdoors, while others took to it naturally, like Rantaro and Kiyo. Still, camping in the rain wasn’t very enjoyable. Shuichi drew his legs to his chest and rested his chin on top of his knees. The rain continued to shower the tarp protecting their tent, rattling like a metal can full of nails. With little else to do, Shuichi pulled out the book he had been reading on the plane and picked up where he left off.

At some point, sleep had overtaken him, and he found himself jolting awake from a powernap when the zipper to the tent door began noisily unzipping. He looked around to see Kaito and Kokichi were no longer in the tent with him, having left at some point during his nap. The door completely unzipped and Kaede poked her head in.

“We’re having dinner a little early since the rain’s stopped for now.”

Indeed, the sky was still dark with rain-heavy clouds, but the rain itself had eased off. Everyone was crowded under the canopy, the table already filled at maximum occupancy and the others not so lucky to have found a seat were standing. When Shuichi approached, Keebo immediately surrendered his seat, insisting Shuichi needed to sit down and nurse his burned leg when he voiced a complaint.

Dinner itself was very simple; not a gourmet meal, but just enough to fill their stomachs. Shuichi wasn’t going to voice a complaint, but he couldn’t help but think about the food from Kirumi’s restaurant or Teruteru’s cooking for Hajime and Nagito’s wedding while he forced this meal down. 

“Do we have any seasoning?” Miu complained.

“No,” Kirumi replied, “I checked.”

“It was considered a frivolity,” Kiyotaka explained. “Only the essentials.”

“I consider it essential!” Miu snapped, pushing her bowl away.

Shuichi spotted movement out of the corner of his eye and opened his mouth to warn Miu, but it was too late. Mosaic broke away from the rest of the Pokémon enjoying their own meals and stole Miu’s half-filled bowl of food, running off with it while the young woman chased after him, screaming obscenities. The four Tapu levitated higher to avoid being knocked into as Mosaic galloped around the open space of the altar. Angie had tried offering the Guardian deities some of the Pokémon food but they, understandably, didn’t see the appeal. 

“I’m not used to our missions being so full of slapstick,” Kyoko commented, placing her utensils in her empty bowl.

“That’s right,” Jiro realized, “you’ve probably been to all sorts of places on International Bureau business, right?”

“I bet Rantaro’s been to more places,” Kaito stated.

“It’s not a contest,” Rantaro replied.

“We’ve been to many regions,” said Makoto. “Kanto, Johto, Unova, Sinnoh, Kalos— and Alola, of course.”

“It must be fascinating being an officer of the International Police,” Tsumugi remarked. “How did you find yourself working for the Bureau? Were you detectives before? Like Shuichi and Mister Saihara?”

“No…” Makoto nervously scratched his head, glancing at Kyoko who was oddly tense. “Things just sort of… happened like this. I mean… I guess it’s in the family— n-not _my_ family— well, my sister’s a junior officer but—,”

“My father’s the director of the Bureau,” Kyoko spoke up, her voice curt and strained.

“Good ol’ nepotism,” Kokichi snickered.

“Oh, far from it actually,” Makoto interjected. “Director Kirigiri didn’t want Kyoko to become an officer, but she…” he trailed off, looking to Kyoko once more and, realizing her discomfort, wisely chose to stop speaking.

“If you’d like, we can tell you about how we became officers,” Chihiro offered. “I was already well known as a talented programmer and the Bureau hired me to reformat their systems. I ended up tracking a data leak and they made me an honorary officer. I don’t do much fieldwork, but wherever Taka and Mondo go, I go.”

“I became an officer to bring honor to my family name,” Kiyotaka explained, drawing shocked expressions from Shuichi and his friends.

“Yeah,” Mondo cut in, “and I told him to do it for himself.”

“What about you?” Gonta asked.

“Me? I became an officer after the Kanto Incident.”

“What exactly is that?” Miu finally admitted defeat and returned to her place at the table, panting heavily from chasing Mosaic, who was scarfing down the rest of her meal. “I’ve heard about it, but I’ve never heard what the actual incident was.”

“I’m afraid that information is restricted knowledge, only available to officers of the International Bureau,” Kiyotaka stated professionally. 

“C’mon, we won’t squeal,” Miu insisted, trying to weasel the information out of him but Kiyotaka wasn’t budging. Shuichi saw her reaching for the neckline of her shirt, meaning she was intending to expose her cleavage.

“Don’t,” Shuichi reached over and grabbed her wrist. “He’s gay.”

“Damn it,” Miu muttered, crossing her arms and pouting.

Shuichi finished his meal and stood up from table, approaching Mosaic to retrieve Miu’s empty bowl. The Silvally had licked it clean but wasn’t running his tongue along the serrated edges of his beak-like mouth for any scraps, most likely indicating the food wasn’t as tasty as he had assumed it would be. Shuichi bent and picked up the bowl, taking a moment to check Mosaic’s bowl of Pokémon food, just to be sure the Silvally had eaten enough. He turned to start walking back to the table, but found his path obstructed by Kyoko— and, he was pleased to admit, he didn’t jump from shock.

“If you are curious about exactly what happened during the Kanto Incident,” she spoke quietly, “I cannot tell you, but you can ask Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu.”

“Kuzuryu?” he repeated. “He was involved in the Kanto Incident?” 

A memory resurfaced upon that revelation. Chihiro had mentioned, when Shuichi was a brief guest at the orchard house, the Kuzuryu Clan had been invaluable allies, ever since the Kanto Incident. All he (and everyone else) knew about the alleged incident was there was an apparent power struggle within the now-defunct Aeon Company, once based in Saffron City of the Kanto Region. The power struggle resulted in some severe property damage, environmental destruction, and a few deaths. It was the case that made Kyoko famous.

“Or…” Kyoko started speaking once more, “perhaps you don’t need to ask him. Officers of the Bureau are privy to such information, especially since we use previous cases as training material.”

“But I’m not an officer,” Shuichi replied.

“I suppose you’re not… for now.”

“What?”

“You see, having a written letter of recommendation from a current officer is the guaranteed method of being accepted into basic training as a junior officer. There are rare occasions of other methods, but the letter is the most-accepted. I guess this is my way of… offering a position to you.”

“You… you want me to be an International Officer!?” Shuichi sputtered. “But I—I don’t know— I can’t!”

“I think you can,” she declared. 

_Me? An International Officer?_ Sure, that may have been his dream when he was younger, reading those articles about Detective Kirigiri and her accomplishments, admiring the officers for their dedication to protecting people and Pokémon all over the world, but those had just been childhood fancies. 

“Think about it like this,” Kyoko began explaining. “You’re a detective-in-training at a private agency from Litra City of the Lotic Region, a region so small it doesn’t have a gym system or Elite Four. Despite not having the training to traverse different regions and confront individuals like Junko and Monokuma, you did it anyway. You’ve probably been scared out of your mind the entire time you were in Alola, not knowing if your journey would have a happy ending, but you still came here. Even now, you’re still here. And for what?” She looked directly at Mosaic, who was shoving his muzzle into Lumine’s bowl to find any pieces of food possibly left over. “For him.” 

_Of course I’m here for him, he never had anyone else._ That wasn’t quite the truth; Mosaic had Mukuro, and while there was clear bond between them, she openly admitted she wasn’t in any position to offer the proper care and attention the Silvally needed. Mosaic, Silvally, Beast Killer.

“Mosaic,” said Shuichi, “… he doesn’t have to be a weapon if he doesn’t want to.”

“He’s not a weapon; he’s your partner,” Kyoko stated firmly. “I apologize for my behavior during our first encounter. Makoto says I have two personalities: the emotional one and the logical one. The logical one is what comes out when I’m on a mission, and sometimes… I can be somewhat brusque and cruel without meaning to. The emotional one is more empathetic.”

“It’s okay,” Shuichi mumbled.

“No, it’s not,” she retaliated. “You didn’t deserve to be treated that way, especially by me.”

“Okay… well, I forgive you then.”

Kyoko raised an eyebrow, like she was critically analyzing his choice to forgive her so readily. Shuichi felt an embarrassed blush creep up his neck and he turned away, briefly wishing he had his hat again before crushing that thought. Mosaic had finished sniffing out for anymore food scraps, and since they knew how thorough he was, Lumine and Scout didn’t bother inspecting their bowls.

“Your Lycanroc is magnificent,” Kyoko complimented.

“He’s a pedigree,” Shuichi responded. “Actually, my uncle says he’s the offspring of your Lycanroc, but that can’t possibly be true.”

“It’s possible,” she replied abruptly. She glanced at Shuichi’s shocked expression and continued explaining. “I entered Lycanroc into a breeding program years ago, but she only had a limited number of offspring. I think it was five. I made it clear I would be the one choosing where the Rockruff pups ended up. Once word got out, there were thousands of applications.”

“Thousands of applications for _five_ Rockruff!?” Shuichi gasped.

“Yes, I had to take some time off to go through them all. When did you receive Lumine?”

“He was a gift for when I entered high school.”

“That’s the correct time range. What’s your uncle’s name?”

“Jiro Saihara.”

“That sounds familiar, but it’s been years.”

“Lumine did run up to your Lycanroc when we first met— after Junko and Monokuma escaped. They looked happy to see each other.”

“Then yes, it’s entirely possible Lumine is Lycanroc’s child. Besides, if your uncle told you he was her child, why would he lie?”

A raindrop tagged Shuichi in the head, indicating the downpour was returning. The Pokémon scattered, leaving their trainers to quickly scoop up the bowls and deliver the dishes to the table. Some stayed under the canopy to wash the dishes while the others dispersed to their tents. Shuichi felt bad about not helping clean up, but he knew Kirumi would take over the process if he wasn’t doing it perfectly. She didn’t mean to, she just knew how to do it better.

Shuichi stretched out on his back, hands behind his head. He stared at the roof of the tent, visualizing the clouds and stars beyond. The moon and sun were somewhere up there, hidden among the dark clouds that were still raining upon them, but with less ferocity. Shuichi let out a sigh, closing his eyes and letting whatever thoughts came to mind take his imagination. He remembered Kyoko’s offer of a letter of recommendation. Did she really have that much faith in his abilities as a detective? She wanted him to be an International Officer, but was he good enough?

“Y’know,” Kokichi spoke up, interrupting his thoughts “it’s weird thinking about how many things can go wrong.”

“I suppose,” Shuichi replied, trying to suppress the twisting knot in his stomach. “But it’s best not to dwell on the downsides.”

“I thought you were a realist, not an idealist.”

“I am thinking realistically: things can go right just as much as they could go wrong. It’s our responsibility to turn the tides.”

“Meh,” Kokichi shrugged. “I stopped making future plans, just to be safe; y’know, in case this is the end.”

Shuichi let out a small, nervous chuckle. “If I survive this, I’m going to do something I’ve been afraid to do for a long time.”

“What?”

“I’m going to ask Kaede out on a date.”

“The piano freak? Really? I thought you were into guys.”

“Why does everyone keep thinking that!?” Shuichi complained. “For your information, I’m bi. I find both men and women attractive, but I really Kaede. She’s kind, she’s pretty, and she’s been my friend for years. I’ve been afraid of ruining our friendship by entering a romantic relationship, but I figured if I could go through with this, I can do anything.”

“Heh, fine. Whatever keeps you happy. And if it doesn’t work out, go after Rantaro. As long as he doesn’t speak, he could pass for guy or girl.”

“I’m not dating Rantaro.”

“Fine, more for me.”

“No, I’m pretty sure he’s asexu— wait, what!?”

*

With a tired groan, Shuichi opened his eyes and immediately closed them. He wasn’t ready to wake up yet. It was so warm inside his sleeping bag, even if the foam mattress wasn’t very comfortable. Scout was curled against his chest inside the sleeping bag and Lumine was stretched out against the curve of Shuichi’s back. At some point in the middle of the night, it was so cold Shuichi released the duo from their Pokéballs so they could sleep in a pile. Even in his sleep-filled haze, Shuichi had realized Mosaic would take up too much space in the tent and so kept him in his Pokéball.

He heard Kaito let out a groan and the tent shuddered as he shifted. Shuichi cracked open an eye to look at his friend, sleeping in the middle of the three-person tent. At some point during the night, Kaito had also released his Pokémon, but Shuichi couldn’t believe he found sleeping in a pile of rocky bodies comfortable. Nova was the only one who didn’t have a rocky body or shell, but he was also the smallest, which meant Kaito was, somehow, comfortably sleeping under what basically amounted to a pile of boulders.

Kokichi, on the other end of the tent, had also released Jester and was still fast asleep under the Zoroark’s cape-like hair. Shuichi let out another groan; he refused to open his eyes again, but his hearing was something he couldn’t control. There was no rain falling on the tarps and he could hear shuffling and faint voices outside, meaning some of the campers had already awakened and were starting the day.

“Let’s go! Wake up! Up and at ‘em!”

Shuichi shot up in fright to the sound of the shouting voice and banging pot. Beneath the commotion, he could hear his friends groaning and complaining as they were forced from their slumber. Kaito grumbled and heaved himself into a sitting position, not reacting when Luna rolled off his chest and landed on his leg. Kokichi was a little less willing to join the waking world, physically shifting Jester’s hair so it covered him completely. 

Knowing he wasn’t going to get back to sleep, Shuichi conceded defeat and rubbed some numbing cream on his burn before slipping into his pants. He unzipped the doorway of the tent, inciting more grumbles and groans from his tentmates, and stepped out, straightening up to pop his back. Chisa, Kirumi, Kiyo, and Rantaro were the ones he had heard moving around outside, preparing breakfast for the group. The rest of his friends began to sluggishly emerge from their tents, some of them half-dressed and not caring about who saw them in their underwear.

While everyone else wandered to the table, Shuichi took a moment to look around. Now that the view wasn’t obstructed by a sheet of rain, he could see the altar in all its majesty. They had set up camp on one side of the flat landing just above the short stairs after the largest flight of stairs. There were two more sets of staircases leading up to the altar itself, but he decided not to go wandering for now. From his position, he could see the massive, ornate decoration carved into the mountain top, the sun-like emblem displayed for all to see. This place was much more preserved than the temple at the Lake of the Moone, but considering the Keala family lived here, they must be responsible for maintaining it.

Everyone managed to drag themselves to the table with varying levels of complaining. Shuichi released Mosaic from his Pokéball, having not done it earlier so the Silvally didn’t devour all the food set out for their Pokémon. Shuichi didn’t have a seat this time, but he was fine with it, balancing his plate on one hand while he ate.

“So, what’s the game plan?” Kokichi asked, yawning halfway through his question. “I know we play the flutes and all that junk, but what’s the plan when Necrozma comes through?”

“We overwhelm it,” Mukuro answered. “We strike hard and fast. If we’re lucky, it’ll die in the onslaught; if not, hopefully it’ll be too injured to attempt a counterattack and will flee, never returning.”

“I don’t know about that,” Kaede remarked. “The latter part. Nagisa said there was evidence Necrozma returned to Ultra Megalopolis, the place where it was shattered. If Necrozma feels fine returning to such a traumatic location, what makes you think it won’t come back here just because we hit it really hard?”

“The people of Ultra Megalopolis are too afraid to try and drive Necrozma away,” Chisa explained. “Necrozma might be returning to Ultra Megalopolis because it knows it won’t be attacked, but if it knows it will meet opposition if it returns to our world, then it might stay away. Necrozma may not have emotions, but it does have a sense of self-preservation.”

Her logic appeared to be sound, but Shuichi couldn’t help but think back to the first confrontation with Necrozma. Sure, the creature had taken a while to react to stimuli and it appeared to have a one-tract mind when it came to accomplishing its goals of devouring light. But… He couldn’t help thinking about when Lunala was attacking, the cries of agony Necrozma had let out as it was bombarded. Did a creature without emotions cry out in pain?

A steady rumble in the distance silenced any other conversation. The rumble grew louder as whatever was making the noise came closer. Shuichi nearly dropped his plate in shock as a shuttle of some sort flew overhead. The four Tapu each tensed themselves to attack as the shuttle came back around, heat billowing from its engine as it landed on the stone floor of the altar. Everyone abandoned their food and rushed up the stairs to see who had arrived in such stylish fashion. Kaito especially appeared excited, since the shuttle looked like it was straight out of science-fiction, but Shuichi felt a subtle stab of dread. The design, the colors, it looked similar to the strangers from Nagisa’s world. The door slid open and a short figure stepped out, carrying a bundle in its arms. Five more figures left the shuttle as well, but they didn’t have anything to carry.

“Nagisa?” said Shuichi, recognizing the young boy, who had shed his lab coat for clothing that looked appropriate for outdoor use.

The Monokubs accompanying him were a little more hesitant to approach but did so once Chisa gestured toward them. Nagisa walked up to Shuichi and pushed the bundle into his arms.

“This is a spacesuit for traveling through Ultra Space,” the boy explained. “Just in case.”

“I don’t plan to go through Ultra Space,” Shuichi responded, letting the bundle unravel to reveal an outfit just like what the strangers had worn, helmet included. Kaito immediately volunteered himself to wear the suit and go through Ultra Space if the need arose, but Maki hurriedly silenced him.

“What’s the shuttle for?” Himiko asked.

“Prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Nagisa replied. “We’re just trying to cover all our bases, in case… well, _anything_ happens.”

Several of Shuichi’s friends marveled at the shuttle, which Nagisa had created using technology he had brought with him when he traversed Ultra Space. Junko had been interested in all aspects of technology the people of Ultra Megalopolis had. Nagisa readily shared it all since he believed Junko was only interested in researching Ultra Space and the wormholes. If she could perfect the methods of traveling through the Ultra Wormholes, then it would make the journey between their world and Ultra Megalopolis seamless. But, they all knew how that turned out.

“We should finish breakfast,” Mukuro suggested. 

“I can’t eat now, I’m too excited,” Kaito responded.

“You shouldn’t be,” Maki muttered, grabbing him by the arm and forcibly pulling him away from the shuttle.

Just like Kaito, none of them had an appetite for the breakfast, either from excitement or from unease. Shuichi was happy to surrender what little food he had left to Mosaic, who happily gobbled it down like a living garbage disposal. The atmosphere in the camp was now tense as the inevitable drew closer and closer. Mukuro ducked into the tent she was sharing with Rantaro and emerged with the two flutes. She fell into a hushed conversation with Kyoko and Angie, gesturing with the flutes toward the top of the altar.

Taking this small moment of peace, Shuichi scavenged the case of Elemental Memories. They still didn’t know what type Necrozma was, but Makoto’s supposition about using the Ghost Memory was the best option they had. Shuichi found the disc and inserted it into the port in Mosaic’s head, his crest, tail, and eyes, turning a purple-pink color. Mosaic gave his mane a shake as the data of the element coursed through his body.

Despite his desire not to wear the suit, Shuichi decided it might be for the best. Nagisa hadn’t explained much about what Ultra Space was like, or how one traveled through it. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that, but perhaps the suit could be useful in other ways. Nagisa had talked about things like radiation trails, so maybe Necrozma exuded it? If he got too close to Necrozma, could the radiation affect him? 

“You’re wearing white! It’s the end of the world!” Miu shrieked once he emerged from his tent wearing the tight-fitting suit.

“That joke’s getting old,” Shuichi griped in response.

“But seriously, every time you wear white, something bad happens.”

Kaede rushed over and slapped a hand over Miu’s mouth, hissing, “We really don’t need any dark omens right now.”

“You mean ‘white’ omens?” Miu snickered after freeing herself from Kaede’s grip.

“That suit doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination,” Kokichi smirked at Shuichi.

“Stop looking at me,” Shuichi ordered.

Scout and Lumine both looked surprised to see their trainer wearing the strange outfit, especially since the last people they saw wearing the same suit were the strangers. Both hesitantly approached him and sniffed, as if they were making sure he was actually Shuichi and not someone pretending to be him. 

“Are you nervous?” Kaede asked gently, guiding him to sit at the now-empty table. “Not like I’m trying to make you nervous, but… um, how are you feeling?”

“I’m a little nervous, yes.” He wanted to fidget, like when he would twist the fabric of his pants in his hands, but he didn’t want to agitate his burn. “But I’m glad you’re all here. I wouldn’t want to do this alone.”

“Are you ready to flex your musical ability?” she grinned at him.

“Musical ability?”

“You’re playing one of the flutes, aren’t you?”

“This is the first I’m hearing about it. I thought Angie was doing it.”

“Nope!” The Alolan herself was standing behind them, a cheerful smile on her face. “Mukuro is playing the Moon Flute, as the guardian of Lunala. We’ve decided Kaito will play the other one.”

“Kaito?” Shuichi asked incredulously. 

“Nebby will evolve someday, right? Kaito and Mukuro are the keepers of the two Cosmog taken from Junko’s custody. We thought it would be appropriate. We will begin the summoning once Kaito has the song figured out.”

Both Mukuro and Kaito were sitting on the short flight of stairs leading up towards the altar, each holding a flute in their hands. Mukuro was running a finger over the grooves on the moon emblem, Kaito trying to find the corresponding notes on the Sun Flute. He had a deep frown of concentration on his face. Despite his fumbling with the instrument, he was determined to figure the song out. He didn’t need to understand the nuances of music, he just needed to establish the movements through muscle memory.

Despite the ground beneath him being a smattering of firm dirt and sparse grasses, Shuichi sat down where he was standing, Kaede joining him after a moment of hesitation. Their Pokémon wandered over, lazing in the weak sun as everyone waited for Mukuro and Kaito to figure out the flute song. There was nothing else to do but wait for the inevitable.

*

Unlike yesterday, the sun was shining, although with several white, fluffy clouds occasionally passing in front of it. Still, it was nice to not be subjected to the rain. The only person who appeared to be enjoying the brief period before the summoning was Kiyo, who took the moment to walk around the altar and take notes on everything he was seeing. No doubt all the information would go towards the Alola wing in the Litra museum.

“This is a lot more… foreboding than our last Alolan trip,” Keebo commented, drawing a picture in the dust on the stone ground between the stairs. “I don’t think I could be an International Officer. It’s too stressful.”

“Very few missions are like this,” Chihiro assured him. “And besides, you can join the International Police and not be a field agent. I’m technically not.”

“Yeah, think about it, Keebs,” Miu jumped into the conversation. “Our inventions could become standard tools for the officers in their fieldwork.”

“You are an inventor?” said Kiyotaka. “What sort of useful tools have you made?”

“Don’t ask her that; you don’t want to know,” Ryoma called from the other side of landing, practicing swinging his racket.

Shuichi sighed, his body going slightly limper, before panicking and shooting upright when he realized he was leaning against Kaede. She must not have noticed their proximity but did give him an odd look for his sudden movement. The suspense was unbearable, but somehow Mukuro and Kaito continued calmly going through the finger motions. At least Shuichi could visibly see their progress; their fingers moved smoothly from one hole to the next, their movements in unison. All they needed was to breathe into the flutes.

“Is it time yet?” Gonta asked, stacking rocks into a small pile. “Necrozma is scary but waiting for bad things to happen is more scary.”

“That was oddly philosophical,” Jiro commented. “Sometimes the dread of waiting for something to happen is worse than the actual event.”

“We’re ready!” Kaito declared, jumping to his feet and wielding the Sun Flute like a scepter. 

They weren’t excited to summon Necrozma, but one might think that when everyone leapt to their feet and sprinted up the stairs to the altar. Like Gonta and Jiro had said, the fear of waiting for Necrozma’s arrival was more frightening than the creature itself. It was best to get it over with. Once it was done, they could return to their lives.

Shuichi assumed Mukuro and Kaito would play the flutes on the stone platform, but the two approached a pair of square-shaped platforms surrounded by streams of water pouring from the immense stone statue. Kaito slung his backpack off and handed it to Maki, sneaking a quick kiss on her cheek and running to the platform before his blushing, embarrassed girlfriend could retaliate. Angie ran back and forth between the two flute players, probably making sure everything was set in place before returning to the large center platform, standing in a row with the other three Kahunas, the four Tapu strategically positioned in front of them. 

Chisa borrowed Ryoma’s racket and tapped it three times against the stone platform, the sound echoing across the altar. After the third tap, music filled the empty space. In perfect unison, Mukuro and Kaito played the ancient song dedicated to the Beasts of Light. Kaito’s fumbling for the right notes was noticeable even from a distance, but he managed to keep up with his music partner.

Shuichi remembered when Angie had whistled the song while they were leaving the branch building in Litra, and how Mukuro had stopped her upon recognizing it. Angie’s tune must have only been a sample of the true song; the notes flowing around them were too pure to have the same meaning in a whistled melody.

Maki let out a gasp of surprise as Kaito's bag was yanked from her grasp by some unseen force. The bag levitated above them before falling to stone, Nebby continuing to float above their heads. Thankfully, Kaito and Mukuro hadn’t heard the commotion as the others raced for the edges of the center platform to avoid whatever was about to happen. Nebby suddenly became engulfed with light, the brightness too intense for everyone to look up at him. Everyone covered their eyes and ducked their heads, the music of the flutes somehow growing louder and more powerful. The song finished, but no one noticed.

The two flute players both let out long sighs of relief and turned to their companions, freezing when they saw how panicked everyone was. Kaito looked up to ball of light, somehow recognizing his beloved Pokémon, and sprinted for the center platform. The four Tapu rose into the air, surrounding Nebby and waiting to see what was going to happen. A flash of light burst from Mukuro’s hip and Lunala soared into the sky, banking around Nebby and the Tapu. 

The ball of light compressed then began to grow, taking shape into something none of them had ever seen before. There were four legs, and there was a tail. The shape continued to grow larger then began to descend back to the center platform. The shape moved on its own, testing its new limbs, before throwing its head back and roaring loudly, the light vanishing in an instant. 

What stood where Nebby had previously been was nothing like the Cosmoem had been. Its sleek white body had yellow, orange, and black accents, its thick mane decorated with points fading from orange to yellow. The creature let out a rumble somewhat similar to a purr, although it was too intimidating to sound comforting. The creature turned its head, looking around at everyone present to its appearance. The four Tapu continued circling the creature, their arms raised and bodies tensed to attack should it prove to be hostile.

“Nebby?” Kaito cautiously stepped toward the creature, his hands out in front of his body, showing he was unarmed but also ready to defend himself should the need arise. “Nebby? Is that you?”

The creature stared at him, the rumble still reverberating in its throat, then it leaped. Everyone cried out in fear, some of them recoiling while others rushed forward to prevent what could be a mauling. But all of that was unnecessary. The creature bowled Kaito over and affectionately nuzzled him, the rumbling purr growing louder.

“Nebby!” Kaito cheered. “It is you!”

“But…” Shuichi continued to gape in shock. “I thought Cosmog were the children of Lunala.”

“I knew it!” Angie nearly shrieked. “Lunala had returned to us; I knew Solgaleo was nearby! The Beasts of Light have returned!” She began some odd chant and rhythmic dance while the others approached the newly-evolved Nebby.

Nebby stepped away from Kaito so he could get off the ground and turned his affection toward Maki, who begrudgingly accepted the Solgaleo’s advances. Some of the others were much more exuberant in welcoming Nebby back, who was just as eager but also careful of his new size. He eagerly bounced on his paws, taking care not to knock anyone over.

“Can I borrow that?” Chisa asked Kiyo, pointing to his notepad. “We’ll need to report this back to the Bureau.”

A pulse suddenly rippled through the air. Nebby and Lunala’s heads snapped toward the giant stone carving, both lowly growling in their throats. Another pulse, strong enough to ruffle Nebby’s mane, throbbed so intensely Shuichi could feel it in his bones. Unlike the first time, where the air shattered and Necrozma clawed its way into their world, this time was different. With another pulse, the Ultra Wormhole exploded outward as Necrozma burst through, its claws curled and poised to attack.

Someone screamed, Shuichi wasn’t sure who, and whatever plan they had previously established fell to chaos. When they had first encountered Necrozma, it had been very slow to react to stimuli, but now it almost seemed… angry. But that was impossible, since Nagisa said Necrozma didn’t have emotions. The four Tapu darted forward, each one wielding an attack of their secondary element. Necrozma was able to stop Tapu Bulu and Tapu Lele with its two hands, but Tapu Fini and Tapu Koko delivered what looked to be a devastating Muddy Water and Electro Ball attack, the combination of water and electricity nearly electrocuting Necrozma. The creature let go of the two Tapu it had captured and recoiled from the pain. Shuichi dared to dream it would retreat enough to fall back into the wormhole, but it steadied itself, its claws surging with dark energy. It struck at the Tapu with a Night Slash attack, not doing much damage but successfully knocking them away.

Nebby roared loudly, forcing several of the humans to cover their ears. He galloped toward Necrozma and raised a paw, striking Necrozma with blunt force. The crystalline creature let out a strange shriek as it was knocked from air, thudding to the stone ground. Nebby went in for another strike, but Necrozma caught his paw in its clawed hands.

“Don’t let it touch him!” Nagisa shouted. “It can’t touch either of them!”

“Scout use Scald!” Shuichi ordered. 

The Vaporeon let loose the scorching column of water, drenching Necrozma and sending it into a screeching fit. It let go of Nebby, who, having heard Nagisa’s warning, ran away from Necrozma and returned to Kaito’s side. Necrozma heaved itself upward, its limbs moving in an odd, crooked fashion. It was levitating again, finally looking at the opposition it was facing. Shuichi thought, if it were intelligent, it would back down. After all, it did have a sense of self-preservation, and shouldn’t it recognize a battle not worth fighting? Perhaps the presence of Lunala and Nebby was too tempting.

“Sol, Luna, Comet, use Rock Slide!” Kaito directed. His three Pokémon attempted to bury Necrozma, the boulders painfully crushing its limbs.

Realizing they had an opening, the rest of Shuichi’s allies and their Pokémon rushed into battle. If they overwhelmed Necrozma enough, it would either perish or run away, never to return. The crowd of Pokémon encircled Necrozma, Lunala and Nebby safely behind their defenders. The creature shoved its way out of the cairn of boulders, clutching one in its claws so tightly it shattered. 

“Use Ghost-type attacks!” Makoto instructed the others. “We know Ghost-type attacks are super-effective!”

Upon hearing the order, Kiyo Mega Evolved his Banette, the Ghost-type leering at Necrozma. Kaede, Rantaro, and Kokichi all stepped forward with Spooky, Decidueye, and Raja. Banette unleashed a Shadow Ball that violently collided with (what was assumed to be) Necrozma’s face. With the creature stunned, Raja and Spooky rushed in to each deliver a Shadow Claw attack while Decidueye pulled a feather arrow from his wing, stringing it in preparation to fire. Beneath the onslaught, one of Necrozma’s hands glowed with psychic energy and it brutally slashed Raja with a Psycho Cut attack. The Nidoking cried out in pain, retreating back to his trainer. Before anyone could make another move, Necrozma jumped into the air, pushing its other attackers back before taking to the sky.

The Tapu chased after it while Lunala, still keeping a safe distance, fired Shadow Ball attacks in an attempt to ground it once more. Rantaro and Decidueye tried to find higher ground so the latter could trap Necrozma with his Spirit Shackle attack, but the battle was steadily moving higher and higher.

“Here!” Makoto threw a Pokéball, a Pidgeot emerging from the light. Makoto pulled back his sleeve, revealing a Mega Ring. The Pidgeot was enveloped in the rainbow aura of Mega Evolution, arising as a Mega Pidgeot.

Rantaro and Decidueye both jumped on Mega Pidgeot’s back, the bird Pokémon carrying them up towards the battle in the sky. Necrozma was moving so quickly it was almost a black blur, deftly dodging the Tapus’ attacks. Decidueye tangled his talons in Mega Pidgeot’s head feathers to steady himself, stringing his arrow and taking aim. The tip of the arrow moved as he followed Necrozma, the creature still desperately trying to knock away its pursuers. Finally, Decidueye found his mark and let loose the arrow, the projectile flying through the air and striking Necrozma. It screeched loudly as the shadow energy pulled it to ground far below, Mega Pidgeot following its plummet with a dive-bomb. 

Necrozma slammed into the ground, shattering the central platform with deep, jagged cracks. Anyone who had been on the platform fled as the entire altar rolled from the aftershocks of the impact. When the dust cleared, Necrozma laid prone on the rock, its limbs splayed out. Mega Pidgeot landed and allowed her passengers to disembark, devolving back to a normal Pidgeot. Shuichi was the first to approach, Lumine and Scout flanking him while Mosaic stayed in front of him, stalking toward his prey with the intent to kill. His hackles were raised and his purple-colored crest flaring outward. 

_This is it. We have it grounded; it can’t attack_. Shuichi took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. Mosaic clicked his beak-like mouth, talons digging into the stone floor. Nebby crouched, staring at Necrozma with an innocent curiosity. 

“Mosaic use Multi-Attack,” Shuichi ordered.

Necrozma let loose a shriek, rolling to one side and grabbing Nebby’s face with one hand. The Solgaleo cried out in fear as his and Necrozma’s bodies were enveloped by light, merging into one. Kaito let out a strangled cry and sprinted toward the glowing bodies, his Pokémon strategically positioning themselves to protect him.

The light cleared, revealing what looked to be Nebby, but there was something inherently wrong. His body was emanating a light from within, turning him a pale-yellow color and turning his orange and yellow accents into a glowing gold. Necrozma appeared to have been reduced to fragments of armor covering Nebby’s body, the black a stark contrast against the yellow. 

“Nebby?” Kaito asked cautiously, stepping closer to the Solgaleo. “Are you okay?”

Nebby’s head turned toward him; it did so in a smooth but almost dead-like fashion, like someone were controlling a puppet. His eyes were glowing a bluish-white through the black helmet-like headdress, displaying no emotion as he stared at his trainer. Kaito’s four other Pokémon clustered together as Nebby raised a black-clawed foot and brought it crashing down. Using their psychic abilities and brute force, Sol, Luna, Comet, and Nova were able to keep Nebby’s paw from pressing down while Kaito stumbled back in shock. Nebby withdrew his paw and side-swiped the four, knocking them aside, before trying to crush Kaito again. Mosaic barreled into Kaito, pushing him aside just in time to avoid being slammed into the stone.

“What happened?” Kyoko whispered, her firm and stoic expression cracking and showing her fear beneath.

“Necrozma absorbed the Solgaleo,” Nagisa answered, clinging tightly to Chisa’s waist, although he would deny the action later. “It absorbed him as a fragment of light.”

Lunala tried to come closer to Nebby but Mukuro demanded she retreat, the four Tapu covering her as she fled. The Kahunas and Angie began directing the Tapu in battle. The old story about the Pillager of Light really happened, so maybe they could make it happen again. The Tapu freed the ancient Solgaleo and Lunala after Necrozma absorbed them and, together, the six of them forced Necrozma back through the Ultra Wormhole. This time it might be a little more difficult since Nebby was newly-evolved and didn’t know his capabilities, but with all the other Pokémon here, there had to a chance they could dominate the crystal creature.

Aoi, Yuta, and Sakura each wielded a Z-Ring, the off-yellow Z-Crystal embedded in the indents. Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Koko began to glow with the power of the imminent Z-Move. Shuichi watched with his mouth agape as energy, so condensed it was visible to the naked eye, burst from the ground, forming three human-like bodies. The attacking Tapu retracted themselves into their shells and became the heads for the three bodies, taking control of them like it was one of those old monster movies. Nebby— or Necrozma, since Nebby clearly wasn’t in control of the merged body— backed away from the three, perhaps reliving memories of what occurred long ago. Realizing how overpowered it was, Necrozma ducked under the grasping hands of the three giants and sprinted for the Ultra Wormhole.

“Stop!” Shuichi found himself running to intercept the creature before it could escape. 

Mosaic dashed out in front of his trainer and managed to rake his talons against Necrozma’s front leg as it raced by and dived into the wormhole, vanishing from sight. Mosaic slid to a halt in front of the Ultra Wormhole, his chest heaving both from his run and his frustration in having his prey escape him. He let out a howl and began stomping his front legs against the ground. Shuichi approached the wormhole, staring into the hole in nothing.

“Nebby?” Kaito voice was choked and strained. He took a single step toward the wormhole, then fell to his knees. He curled into a ball, so no one would see him cry; he was supposed to be brave, to be the hero, and heroes don’t cry: they’re strong.

Shuichi felt his body go numb. He couldn’t feel anything anymore. He looked over his shoulder as Maki and Gonta tried to comfort Kaito, then back to the wormhole. Suddenly, a single emotion washed over him in a torrential wave. He expected he would be scared; Necrozma escaped more powerful than when it arrived, but it wasn’t fear driving his next actions.

It was anger.

No, it was rage, fury, and wrath. That— that _thing_ had caused so much harm to him and his friends. It tormented their thoughts with the threat of stealing the light of their world, and now it just taken his best friend’s Pokémon. He was angrier than he had ever thought possible. Necrozma was gone, disappeared back into Ultra Space, but…

Shuichi made his decision in that instant. He was wearing the suit required to travel through Ultra Space, all he needed was the transportation, which was treading air nearby. He returned Mosaic, Lumine, and Scout to their Pokéballs and safely clipped them to his belt.

“Lunala!” he called out to her, one arm gesturing to the Ultra Wormhole. She understood and dropped to the stone ground beside him so he could climb on her back.

“What are you doing!?” Jiro shouted, rushing up to the Pokémon before she could take off with his nephew. “Get off that Pokémon right now!”

“No!” Shuichi tugged his arm free when his uncle attempted to physically pull him off. “Nagisa said Ultra Space can be traversed if you follow something that knows where it’s going. If Lunala and I follow Necrozma’s trail, we can hunt it down wherever it goes and stop it!”

“I don’t like this,” Jiro shook his head. He turned to Kaede and Kyoko as the two came running up to them. “Talk some sense into him!”

“We can’t let Necrozma keep control of Nebby,” Kyoko responded. “Haven’t you noticed how dark it’s become?”

She was right; the sky, which had previously been brightened by the late morning sun, had dimmed as if the storm from yesterday had blown in, but there were still only sparse clouds in the open sky. Necrozma stole Solgaleo, the emissary of the sun, and the light had faded. 

“Uncle Jiro, I have to go,” Shuichi proclaimed. “Maybe this is one of those bursts of foolhardy courage that gets me in trouble sometimes, but it’s all I have. I need to follow Necrozma.”

“And we’ll be right behind you,” Nagisa stated. “We’ll follow you in the shuttle. Now go! Quick, before the radiation trail fades!”

Some of Shuichi’s friends shouted after him, but the noise was lost in the commotion of Lunala beating her wings and launching into the Ultra Wormhole. In an instant, everything changed. The greens and browns of the altar faded into a swirl of deep purple and blue. This new environment seemed to stretch on for miles, seemingly endless. Shuichi couldn’t help but marvel at the foreignness of this place, both intimidating and beautiful. Lunala swooped smoothly through the emptiness, the tips of her wings leaving visible streams through the radiation. Before them was a trail of darkness slowly dissipating.

“Lunala! Go!” Shuichi ordered, the Pokémon lurching forward as she flew through the trail.

Different colored wormholes bloomed around them, offering glimpses of other worlds. Now he could see why Nagisa claimed the method of traversing Ultra Space wasn’t perfect. Wormholes seemed to appear and disappear at random, taking with them the only doorway to that world. There was no guarantee you would find the world you wanted to go to, or that you would return to your own. But Shuichi had to have faith he would return.

A cluster of crackling energy began to soar directly at them, forcing Lunala to bank to the side. She absorbed another ball of energy, this one energizing her into a burst forward, dodging wormholes that threatened to draw them closer with their gravitational pull. Finally, the dark trail of radiation funneled directly into a single wormhole. Lunala pulled her wings close to her body and dove into the doorway. It was almost as if looking through a window; Shuichi gasped as the purples and blues of Ultra Space faded in an instant.

The world they burst into was so different and carried with it an ambience of melancholy. Shuichi looked at the ground far below them as Lunala soared overhead. There were countless lights glittering in the darkness below, but they were all artificial. The buildings were black and almost resembled Necrozma’s crystalline body. There were people down there, pointing up to the sky as Lunala passed. Before them was an immense tower, the entire structure exuding artificial light, acting as a stand-in for the sun. 

_This is it,_ he realized. _This is Nagisa’s world: Ultra Megalopolis, the world lost in darkness._

This was the fate Junko wanted to befall their world. The people of Ultra Megalopolis had created this tower to bring light back to their world, but it was fake; and how long did they suffer in the darkness before this structure was created? Shuichi realized, if he looked beyond the tower, he could see the inky blackness that cloaked the rest of the world. A world with no sun or moon, not even any stars. No clouds, no plant life, he couldn’t even feel a natural wind besides the rush of Lunala moving through the air. There was also a chill in the air; he could feel it on his face, but the suit insulated the rest of his body against it.

On top of the tower was a different light, a distinct warmth different from the cold artificiality. Lunala descended toward the tower, dropping onto her claws so Shuichi could jump off her back. He immediately released his Pokémon and strode across the grated floor, Necrozma watching him intently as he approached. It was then he realized Necrozma hadn’t been waiting by itself up here. Junko and Monokuma turned to look at him and he recoiled in shock and horror. Both of their faces were covered in strange splotches, which Shuichi would later learn were radiation burns from traveling through Ultra Space without the proper gear. Monokuma still had that permanent sneer on his face, but his eyes looked sunken in. Junko just look down right demented, giggling madly as she watched Shuichi fumble.

“And you thought it would be easy,” she shrieked with laughter. “Thanks for bringing Lunala here. That just makes this simpler.”

“You won’t touch her!” Shuichi rebuked her. “Get out of my way! My focus is on Necrozma!”

“Did you hear that, Monokuma?” Junko gasped in faux-shock. “We don’t matter anymore!” The monochromatic man laughed softly, but his head bobbled dangerously, his body swaying.

Mosaic growled deeply, stalking toward the trio. Necrozma stamped one foot against the grating and roared a challenge, prompting Junko and Monokuma to flee to the outer edge of the tower. Lumine and Scout quickly joined Mosaic as Necrozma trudged toward them, only stopping when Lunala leapt into the air, unfurling her wings and screeching loudly. Her screech reverberated into the empty air, filling the silent world with the terrifying noise.

“Let him go!” Shuichi demanded. 

Necrozma took a step back, as if it were surprised by his command, like it hadn’t expected him to say such a thing. It recovered quickly though, snarling and lashing its tail. It paced back and forth, head held low as it shook its mane. Mosaic tensed himself to fight, looking back to Shuichi for direction.

“Scout use Helping Hand,” said Shuichi. 

Scout rhythmically wagged his fish-like tail, the sparks of energy leaving his body and absorbing into Lumine, Mosaic, and Lunala. With the others energized, Shuichi took a deep breath to mentally prepare himself for the battle before him. Necrozma was much more frenzied and animalistic now. Was it perhaps due to it merging with Nebby? 

A ring of light compressed into a small ball on the crown of Necrozma’s helmet before unleashing into a ray beam that sparkled like gemstones. Mosaic ducked out of the way of the Power Gem attack. Lumine used Double Team to create multiple copies encircling Necrozma while Scout unleashed a Haze to cover the battlefield. The artificial light of the tower reflected off the water vapors of the Haze clouds, further blinding Necrozma from its attackers. Mosaic came bounding out of the clouds, his Ghost-type Multi-Attack slamming directly into Necrozma. The creature grunted as it withstood the attack, its right front leg noticeably trembling under the effort.

Mosaic retreated back into the Haze clouds as Lumine and his copies came rushing in. Necrozma screamed and thrashed around, trying to find Lumine among the fakes, but the Lycanroc dodged its limbs and tail, sinking his teeth into the injured front leg in a Crunch attack. Necrozma reared onto its hind legs, flailing its leg to force Lumine to let go. The Lycanroc went flying but landed safely when Lunala cupped one wing around his body, helping him right himself. Necrozma snarled, planting its stance as the air suddenly grew heavier. Lunala grunted as she was forced to ground by the force of Necrozma’s Gravity. 

“Scout use Ice Beam!” Shuichi commanded.

The Vaporeon released the power of ice from the freezing ball of energy in front of his mouth. A chunk of solid ice formed around Necrozma’s front legs, anchoring it to the roof of the tower. It began to panic, desperately trying to pull itself free. 

“Mosaic use Thunder Fang! Aim for the injured leg!”

Necrozma’s struggling became frenzied as Mosaic closed in, electricity crackling from his mouth. He closed his jaws around the injured leg, wracking Necrozma’s merged body with electricity and paralyzing it.

“Lunala,” Shuichi turned to the Legendary, “can you still fight?”

She pushed herself upright, the effort clear in how her wings were trembling, but her look of determination was all Shuichi needed. Suddenly, Lunala vanished, only leaving behind a brief shadow against the roof. Shuichi frantically looked around, fearing Necrozma had somehow absorbed Lunala as well, before seeing her reappear above Necrozma, bringing both wings, pulsing with dark energy, crashing down on the creature’s head in a Phantom Force attack. The shockwave throughout Necrozma’s body was enough to shatter the ice encasing its legs, the creature collapsing as it panted heavily.

Shuichi’s Pokémon and Lunala regrouped, the latter having to partially drag herself across the roof as the effects of Gravity were still weighing her down. Lumine and Scout covered her rear to ensure she wasn’t attacked while vulnerable.

“Let Nebby go or we’ll keep attacking!” Shuichi threatened. “And don’t think holding him hostage will prevent us from harming you anymore! Nebby will forgive us.”

Necrozma’s chest was heaving, its blank empty eyes staring at Shuichi. It struggled to its feet, dangerously swaying back and forth, its entire body trembling from pain and effort. But this fight was far from over. It let out a piercing bellow, the light of its body growing more intense. Shuichi looked down at his feet as he saw small particles of light beginning to collect around him. He looked up, realizing there was a pillar of light forming, fed from the light of Necrozma’s merged body. It grew stronger and he tried to run, but the diameter of the pillar grew larger and larger, ready to consume all of Necrozma’s attackers.

Before the devasting strike could be delivered, a pulse through the air disrupted it. An Ultra Wormhole opened in the sky, the rumbling of the shuttle growing stronger as it approached the doorway. The shuttle burst through, rapidly approaching the tower. Shuichi almost feared the vehicle was out of control given its approach, but whoever was handling it managed to bring it in for a successful landing. The others poured out of the doorway, releasing their Pokémon immediately, just as Shuichi had.

“Are you okay?” Jiro grabbed Shuichi’s shoulders, giving his body a once-over.

“I’m okay,” Shuichi assured him. “I haven’t been hurt.”

“Everyone spread out!” Chisa directed. “Surround it!”

The others scrambled into position, the outer ring of the tower’s roof covered by people and their Pokémon, all of them staring Necrozma down as it slowly spun in place. Realizing it was surrounded and an Ultra Wormhole wasn’t readily available for it to flee through, Necrozma lowered its head, trying and failing to intimidate some of its potential attackers.

“Let Nebby go!” Shuichi demanded again, his cry taken up by everyone else.

Necrozma was overwhelmed by the shouting, everyone’s demands that it release the fragment of light it had captured. It took one step towards Shuichi, but the Monokubs’ Ultra Beasts each poised themselves to intercept should it choose to run at him.

“Let him go!” Kaito shouted.

“Let him go!” Kaede yelled.

“Let him go!” Makoto hollered.

Mosaic turned to Shuichi, the subtle movement of his head toward Necrozma indicating what he was suggesting. Shuichi stepped forward, one hand buried in Mosaic’s ruff. They didn’t walk directly up to Necrozma, but close enough it would hear Shuichi’s threat without him needing to shout. For some reason, the calm, quiet delivery of his line was more frightening than if he had screamed it.

“Let. Him. Go.”

Necrozma’s head darted back and forth, its body swinging around to look at all its enemies. The Tapu were threateningly taking swipes at the air between themselves and their target. The Monokubs’ Ultra Beasts almost looked as if they were invigorated by the potential fight, no longer cowed into submission by the threat of Monokuma and his Guzzlord. Spooky the Mimikyu was flashing her shadowy claw. Sol, Luna, Nova, and Comet were gravitating around Kaito. Maki’s Bisharp was flaunting his sharp blades. Angie’s Tropius had his leaf-wings poised to deliver a Razor Leaf. Rantaro’s Decidueye already had an arrow notched while Gallade extended his elbow blades. All four of Kokichi’s Pokémon were rearing for the fight, Silver tossing his head and Raja beating his fists together. Tenko was cracking her knuckles and neck, just like her Pokémon. Blazer, Fang, and Shadow were all growling lowly, their hackles raised.

The light was so intense everyone was forced to cover their eyes and look away. Once it faded, there were two bodies lying on the roof instead of one. Nebby raised his head, looking around in shock and confusion. Once he saw the prone body of Necrozma, he panicked and ran, desperately seeking Kaito for comfort, who warmly welcomed him back despite being knocked over in his approach. Necrozma heaved itself into a somewhat-sitting position, its jagged arms trembling to support itself.

“This is it, Shuichi.” Kyoko’s sudden voice right beside him made Shuichi jump slightly. “It’s severely injured; it can’t escape. Have Mosaic finish it off.”

“Whoa!” Chihiro yelped, sheltering between Kiyotaka and Mondo once he realized they were surrounded.

Shuichi looked around the roof, spying the white and blue outfits of the people of Ultra Megalopolis. At some point during his friends’ surrounding of Necrozma, the people from the darkness had climbed the tower and encircled them. But were they hostile? Did they realize these strangers, one wielding a Solgaleo, one wielding a Lunala, and one wielding the Beast Killer, were here to destroy Necrozma?

“How can we trust you with such an important feat?”

The battle had become so intense and mind-consuming, Shuichi had forgotten Junko and Monokuma had hidden off to the side of the tower’s roof. Now, the former came sauntering forward, like she was the picture of intimidation she was when they first encountered her, but the burns on her skin and the raggedness of her outfit stole the poise and perfection she presented before without taking any of the dementedness.

“You faced the Blinding One before and _didn’t_ defeat it,” she mocked. “How can we trust you to follow through this time?”

“Don’t listen to her!” Nagisa shouted. “It’s me! It’s Nagisa Shingetsu! I’ve found the weapon to defeat Necrozma! Trust us! Don’t listen to her!”

The people looked confused and uncomfortable, as if they genuinely didn’t know what choice to make. Despite his frustration, Shuichi understood their bewilderment. He had faced Necrozma before and failed in killing it, a fact Junko clearly took advantage of to manipulate these people, but he was here now! This was the moment it would all end, if they just had a little faith in him and Mosaic!

“Damn,” Junko heaved a sigh, like this treacherous situation was boring her. “If you want something done, you gotta do it yourself.”

She rolled up her right sleeve, revealing the PowerLock on her forearm. She began imputing some button sequence into, the device flashing with some sort of error. Necrozma screeched deafeningly, its jagged limbs twitching unnaturally. Shuichi, Kyoko, and Mosaic fled, unsure of what was about to happen. The artificial light of the tower flickered and Nebby whimpered, collapsing to the ground as if his energy were being sapped. Necrozma continued thrashing against the roof, its crystalline body somehow bulging and cracking, revealing a pure light beneath it. A shockwave exploded outward from the writhing mass of light and blackness, the light finally swallowing Necrozma’s entire body.

The creature, its form so bright it was almost blinding, pushed itself into the air. It had four wings and a tail, giving it a very draconian appearance. There were pieces of armor on its body which resembled parts of its crystal body, except these pieces were now gold. Invigorated with new energy, the creature threw its head back and let out a piercing screech so powerful Shuichi covered his ears and dropped to his knees, positive his ear drums had been burst.

“The Blinding One!” someone screamed after the sound of the creature’s screech faded.

_The Blinding One?_

Now Shuichi realized what had just taken place. This was Necrozma, the _true_ Necrozma, how it was before the people of this world shattered its light. The Blinding One, who once traversed Ultra Space and shared its light throughout the worlds. Junko’s PowerLock had caused this transformation, did that mean it was permanent? Was Necrozma healed? Something in the way the creature was behaving said otherwise. Its topmost pair of wings, which had grasping hands, were clenching and clutching at its head, like it was in an immense amount of pain. 

And a creature in pain was much more dangerous.

Ultra Necrozma, the Blinding One, the Pillager of Light, the demon that devours light, the traveler of Ultra Space, turned its attention back to Shuichi, its heterochromatic eyes sharpening as it found its target. Shuichi was the one who unleashed the Pokémon upon it, so it decided he was the most dangerous. Realizing he was now being targeted, Shuichi took a nervous step back, only to find Kaede’s hand on his shoulder, a firm but encouraging expression on her face. He couldn’t run away now; this was the end. Everything he’d trained for with Kyoko and Makoto, everything Mosaic was created to do, had led up to this moment.

It might seem impossible, but that was just a frame of mind. A lot of the things he had accomplished recently had seemed impossible at the time, but he did them. Everyone was here with him to complete this impossible task, and suddenly, he wasn’t scared anymore. Facing this monster that leered and snarled at him, he looked directly into its mismatched eyes. He was going to destroy it, so it may never again plunge worlds into darkness.

The impossible was possible, because he was going to make it so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would've posted this yesterday, but we lost power, so it's a day late. I will say, the next chapter will probably be guaranteed a two-week wait since it's going to be the climax and A LOT is going to happen.


	24. Light That Burns the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight for the fate of the world doesn’t end with Necrozma’s defeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Solgaleo (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Bisharp, Marowak, Togekiss  
> Angie Yonaga: Ribombee, Smeargle, Whimsicott, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Decidueye, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roserade (Rugosa), Zoroark (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Aegislash, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Luxray, Lairon  
> Tenko Chabashira: Blaziken, Mienshao  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Mismagius, Torracat, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Vileplume, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy), Carbink (Merrick)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Chiaki Nanami: Wigglytuff, Azumarill  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Ibuki Mioda: Kricketune, Exploud  
> Sonia Nevermind: Escavalier (x2), Spiritomb  
> Gundam Tanaka: Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, Dedenne  
> Mikan Tsumiki: Chansey  
> Ryota Mitarai: Goomy  
> Teruteru Hanamura: Paras, Ambipom  
> Kazuichi Soda: Magnezone, Magneton (x2)  
> Ultimate Imposter: Ditto  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Kyosuke Munakata: Blastoise, Skarmory  
> Juzo Sakakura: Primeape, Hitmonchan  
> Jin Kirigiri: Garchomp  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc, Beartic, Ursaring  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini, Pidgeot, Raichu  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo  
> Ace: Serperior

### 

Part 3: The Blinding One

### 

Chapter 24: Light That Burns the Sky

With a deafening shriek, Necrozma leapt toward Shuichi, a clawed wing extended in preparation to spear its talons through Shuichi’s body. It didn’t get very far, however. Monosuke’s Xurkitree flung itself into Necrozma’s path, its long tendril-like limbs wrapping around its body and delivering several electric shocks. Necrozma wildly beat its wings to right itself, attempting to shake the Ultra Beast free and, when that didn’t work, dipped its head and seized Xurkitree’s head in its mouth, throwing the Ultra Beast clear across the tower roof. Angie’s Whimsicott hurriedly unleashed several Cotton Spore, slowing Xurkitree’s fall and cushioning the impact. 

Stakataka planted itself in front of Shuichi, retracting its legs and hardening its body with Iron Defense. They still weren’t positive about what elemental type Necrozma was, but it clearly didn’t have an advantage against Stakataka since it backed down. Mosaic jumped on top of Stakataka and bellowed a challenge, clicking his beak-like mouth as he stared down the demon of light. With the creature distracted, Mega Banette and Mismagius came rushing in, the former ready to deliver a Hex attack while the other readied a Shadow Ball. Ultra Necrozma whipped its head around and let loose a Mirror Shot that knocked the two away. Its minor victory was brief when Cloud dive-bombed, unleashing a Dragonbreath directly in its face.

Shuichi gasped when Necrozma screamed in agony, swiping at the retreating Altaria with both claws. Cloud quickly climbed higher, joined by Tropius, Xatu, Swanna, Pidgeot, and Kaito’s Pokémon, trying to draw Necrozma into the air. Lunala looked as if she wanted to follow as well, but stayed beside Nebby, protected by Stakataka’s solid body. 

“The Dragonbreath was super-effective,” Shuichi stated, turning to Kyoko. “It’s a Dragon-type!”

“But Ghost-type moves aren’t super-effective against Dragon-types,” said Nagisa. “It has to be either a Psychic- or Ghost-type, as well as Dragon.”

Necrozma screeched at the flying Pokémon above it, realizing it was now surrounded on the ground and in the air. Suddenly, the air was full of Rock Blasts as it tried to knock its assailants out of the sky. Everyone on the ground ran for cover as the rocks fell, clanging loudly against the grated roof of the tower. Everyone, except Ryoma, who steadied his stance and spiked the rock sailing toward him with his racket, sending it flying directly at Necrozma and tagging it in one leg. The demon snapped its head in Ryoma’s direction, prepared to grab him in its mouth and shake him so hard his neck broke. Victini sent a Searing Shot attack across the roof, hitting Necrozma in the side of the face. Enraged, Necrozma lifted itself into the air to escape the ground assault.

“What if we tried what we did last time?” Jiro suggested. “Use Decidueye’s Spirit Shackle to bring it to the ground?”

“Then we use all of our Electric-types to paralyze it,” Makoto finished, looking down at a Raichu standing beside him. “If it’s paralyzed, Mosaic could come in and finish it off. Tapu Koko, can you lead the electric attack?”

Necrozma climbed higher, sending out Power Gem attacks in an attempt to knock the flying Pokémon out of the air. As it focused on hitting the Pokémon harassing it, the ones who weren’t its focus swooped in and delivered several smaller attacks, the damage beginning to add up and only enraging Necrozma further.

Shuichi broke away from the protective circle that had formed around him, running across the roof to reach where Rantaro had fled to escape the fallen rocks. Rantaro had released Lapras alongside his other Pokémon even though she couldn’t move well on land but had several useful and powerful ranged attacks. When he had run, he returned her to her Pokéball and then rereleased her once he was safe.

“Rantaro!” Shuichi slid to a halt, grabbing his friend by the shoulder. “Would you and Decidueye be able to fly above and use Spirit Shackle?”

“I’d be willing to try, but don’t you think it might be expecting it?” Rantaro frowned and looked upward at the dodging shapes. “What’s the rest of the plan?”

“Uncle Jiro suggested we use Spirit Shackle to ground it, and then Makoto thought we could use all the Electric-types to paralyze it.”

“That’s a good plan,” Yuta commended, “but I agree with Rantaro. This thing is smart if it targeted you specifically instead of any of the Pokémon. It might see through our plan if Decidueye tries to attack like he did last time.”

“What else can we do?” Shuichi asked, glancing upward. The inky-black sky was full of explosions of light as Necrozma desperately tried to hit any of its tormentors. “Does anyone else have an attack that will bring it down?”

“Perhaps a status effect?” Shuichi jumped when he heard the mental voice in his head. He spun around to see Tapu Lele had joined him.

“Status effect?” Shuichi repeated. “Like the paralysis plan?”

“Necrozma’s up in the air right now,” Tsumugi remarked.

“No shit,” Miu snapped.

“No!” Tsumugi quickly tried to defend herself. “It’s high up; if we neutralize it up there, gravity will do the rest. Spirit Shackle pulled it to the ground, but the impact was what knocked it out of the battle… at least for a little bit… before it grabbed Nebby by the face.”

“Tapu Koko could do it,” Tapu Lele offered. 

“I have an idea,” Keebo spoke up. “What about a frozen status?”

“We turn it into an icicle!” Miu cheered. 

_That could work,_ Shuichi realized. Especially since they just learned Necrozma, or at least Necrozma in this form, was part Dragon-type. If they used an Ice-type attack against it, they would deal a large amount of damage and, hopefully, deliver a frozen status that would plummet Necrozma back to the roof. The impact would knock it out temporarily and allow them to paralyze it with the electric attacks. Then Mosaic would come in for the kill.

“Who knows Ice-type moves?” Himiko wondered.

“Scout can use Ice Beam,” Shuichi responded, “and Detective Kirigiri has a Beartic, but it might be too heavy. Then there’s Lapras, but she has the same issue as Beartic.”

Tapu Fini came floating over and levitated at eye level with Shuichi, gesturing to her shell. “I can carry Vaporeon hidden inside my shell, then open up so he can attack. It will be different from the attack before.”

“But you’ve fought Necrozma before, long, long ago,” said Shuichi. “Won’t it be wary of you and the other Tapu? It might target you specifically.”

“That’s a chance we may have to take. We can’t let this battle continue. Don’t you see it? How unstable it is?”

Honestly, Shuichi didn’t notice much of a difference in Necrozma’s behavior. When it possessed Nebby, he noticed it became more frenzied and animalistic. Since letting Nebby go and turning into the Blinding One, the creature was behaving relatively the same, except for the signs of pain he noticed. Was that what Tapu Fini was inferring? 

“What’s wrong with it?” Himiko drawled, despite the intense situation. “It seems just as angry as before.”

“This is unnatural,” Tapu Fini insisted. “Perhaps it is a pipe dream to believe the Pillager could become the Blinding One again after being shattered, but if it were to happen… not like this. Not forced upon it.”

_Junko’s PowerLock was designed to bring out the full potential of a Pokémon. She couldn’t control it before, but maybe that was because Necrozma was unresponsive. This is Necrozma’s full potential, but it was forced into it, like Junko’s Mega Evolution._

But the Mega-Evolved Pokémon hadn’t been unstable. They had been in control of themselves, they were just in pain, fighting to end their suffering. Nothing was _controlling_ Necrozma per se; Junko merely gave it back the power it once had. Power… it shouldn’t have in this state.

“You’re right,” he agreed with Tapu Fini. “It was shattered, and this method didn’t give it back the pieces it lost. It can’t stay like this.”

“Like Mukuro said, we strike hard and fast,” Keebo spoke.

“And finish this quickly as possible,” Shuichi added.

Scout seemed a little confused when Shuichi told him to climb into Tapu Fini’s shell. He peaked inside, a little wary when he saw the shell was a part of her body but climbed inside when Shuichi urged him to. Tapu Fini closed her shell around herself and her passenger, flying toward the aerial battle like a projectile. As Shuichi had feared, Necrozma saw Tapu Fini coming and would have unleashed a Power Gem (which it was readying) upon her if Pidgeot hadn’t slammed into its chest using Wing Attack. The Power Gem wildly exploded in the air, brightening the black sky temporarily with bursts of shimmering light. Tapu Fini approached the flailing demon then was forced to retreat as it swiped at her.

Upon seeing their counterpart in danger, the other three Tapu leapt into the sky. Necrozma zeroed-in on the three, recognizing them from so long ago. Having learned from the past, Necrozma unleashed a Stealth Rock attack, the floating, pointed stones angling toward the three and shooting downward. Tapu Koko was hit while Tapu Bulu managed to physically stop the stone aiming for him. Tapu Lele avoided the rest of the stones and continued her pursuit of Necrozma, striking the demon with a Psybeam attack.

“That didn’t do anything,” Mondo observed. “It barely hurt it.”

“Which means it’s not a Ghost-type,” Chihiro realized. 

“It’s a Psychic/Dragon!” Kiyotaka shouted since Chihiro’s voice was too soft to be heard over the commotion of the sky battle.

With that new information, Shuichi began to weigh his options. He could keep Mosaic as a Ghost-type with the Ghost Memory, protecting him from Normal- and Fighting-type attacks and keeping the type advantage; or perhaps change him to a Fairy-type, which would protect him from any Dragon-type attacks Necrozma used, although Shuichi had yet to see the demon use any Dragon-type attacks. In fact, it was mostly using Rock-type attacks. Besides, if it were a Psychic-type, it had an advantage over Mosaic if he kept using the Ghost Memory.

 _If I change his typing to Dark, then he would be immune to psychic attacks and have the advantage,_ Shuichi concluded. However, once he came to that conclusion, he realized he didn’t have the rest of the Memories, having left them back at the Altar of the Sunne. 

“Shit!” Shuichi mumbled, mentally kicking himself for being so stupid. 

“What’s wrong?” Yuta asked, Shuichi’s muttered curse drawing his attention from the sky battle.

“I forgot the Memories! I didn’t bring them with me!” Shuichi ran across the roof back to where he had been before, sheltered behind Stakataka.

“I don’t have the Memories!” he told Kyoko and Makoto once he reached them. 

“We grabbed them,” Nagisa spoke up. “After you went through the wormhole, Kokichi took them from your tent and brought them on the shuttle.”

Nagisa darted into the shuttle to retrieve the case just as Makoto’s Pidgeot plummeted from the sky, having been struck by a Rock Blast attack. Makoto let out a gasp of horror and sprinted to his Pokémon, barely dodging a shower of boulders from above; not that he cared, since Pidgeot had his full attention. A boulder came falling directly toward him, but Sakura’s Machoke quickly rushed in and heaved it out of the way with a single punch. 

Shuichi opened the Memory case once Nagisa returned with it, finding the dark-gray disc among all the others. Mosaic jumped down from his position on top of Stakataka once prompted to by Shuichi, opening the disc drive and replacing the Ghost Memory. Mosaic’s tail, crest, and eyes turned an eerie black and he let out a pleased growl, digging his talons into the grated roof and glaring at Necrozma far above.

A ring of pointed stones now encircled Necrozma, keeping the flying Pokémon at bay. Kaito’s Pokémon were the only ones brave enough to keep approaching, since the Stealth Rock attack would cause little damage to them, except for Nova who kept attacking despite the danger. Sol, Luna, and Nova used their psychic abilities to lock as many of the stones in place as they could, giving Tapu Fini an opening. She darted forward, accompanied by Tapu Bulu, who used Wood Hammer to knock away any free-moving stones. Necrozma recoiled, bringing its clawed wings forward to grab at Tapu Fini, pausing in confusion when she opened her shell and revealed Scout within.

Shuichi could see the glowing blue ball of icy energy forming even from so far below. Scout looked as if he were putting all his power into the attack, the ball growing so large it dwarfed him in size. With a loud cry, he unleashed it, the ball bursting into a beautiful beam of frost and ice. It struck Necrozma directly, large chunks of ice forming over its body, it wings becoming coated in frost and freezing into place. The attack was so intense, the light from the tower below reflected through the frost clouds, casting rainbow aurora waves into the dark sky. Necrozma screamed as the ice crept over its body and it plummeted downward.

“Run!” someone shouted, prompting everyone to retreat to the edges of the tower. It was now Shuichi saw there was scaffolding just below the rim of the tower, possibly the path the people of Ultra Megalopolis had used to climb up. Now that he thought about it, where had they gone?

Necrozma slammed into the grated flooring of the roof so violently several of the metal panels buckled and jutted upward, forming a strange, metal, blooming flower in the center of the roof with Necrozma’s glowing, frozen body in the center. Even though several ice chunks had shattered on impact, Necrozma was still frozen, one of its clawed wings reaching upward like it was desperately grasping for an escape.

“Thunderbolt!” Tapu Koko’s body crackled with electricity, his order prompting the other Electric-types to jump into actions.

With the combined powers of Tapu Koko, Makoto’s Raichu, Monosuke’s Electabuzz and Xurkitree, Flaaffy, Luxray, Spooky, and, surprisingly, Chuck the Granbull, Chihiro’s Porygon, and Kiyotaka’s Watchog, the motionless body of Necrozma was bombarded with more electricity than any electrical storm could possibly unleash. The electricity condensed into a huge pillar of lightning, flashing violently before dispersing, filling the air with crackles of static.

The light of Necrozma’s body wavered and, for a moment, Shuichi dared to hope it would extinguish, but it didn’t. The light faltered briefly, then brightened as Necrozma’s wings twitched and its body finally moved. Its movements were stiff and pained, but it managed to heave itself back to its feet, clearly indicating it hadn’t given up.

Monophanie’s Nihilego darted toward the demon and latched onto its face, ready to deliver the most devastating attack it was capable of doing.

“Don’t poison it!” Kiyo yelled. “Don’t make it lose control!”

Realizing Necrozma was already unpredictable and dangerous, Monophanie called Nihilego back, but Necrozma reached out and grasped the Ultra Beast in its claws. Monophanie shrieked in a panic, devolving into a flustered mess. Blacephalon removed its head, ready to pitch it at Necrozma, but Monotaro stopped it, since the attack wouldn’t do much against Necrozma’s newly-gained Dragon-typing.

Before anyone else could make a move, Fang, Jester, and Aoi’s Greninja leapt into action. Fang’s body pulsed with dark energy, turning him into a black arrow as he rushed Necrozma, his Dark Pulse causing the demon to flinch and curl inward. Greninja sliced at its body with a Night Slash, forcing it to let go of Nihilego, who fled back to Monophanie, tentacles tightly clinging to the woman as she hugged back just as fiercely. Finally, Jester unleashed his Night Daze, the shockwave of dark aura washing over Necrozma and wrapping it in a torrential storm of black clouds.

Something snapped in Necrozma; its rage finally peaked. Its body was wracked with pain. The light that had returned from within itself was agonizing, burning its very soul. This wasn’t right; why did it hurt? Why was every moment of its existence excruciating? Why did it deserve this? Why wouldn’t these tormentors leave it alone?

Necrozma barely had the strength to keep its head up, and knew this attack would be its last, so it put every last bit of power it had left into it. Maybe it would be enough to end its suffering, to make its attackers go away. The tiniest ball of light converged in front of its mouth, glowing powerfully despite its small size. The artificial light of the tower flickered, then suddenly rushed to Necrozma in pulsing waves. All the lights of the city tore away from their sources and flew to the tower like shooting stars, forming a dome of light beams all around them. The ball steadily grew in size until Necrozma was forced to throw its head back, the ball soon exceeding the size of its bearer’s body. 

Everyone quickly realized there was no withstanding whatever was coming. The flying Pokémon dove downward to shelter beneath the outer rim of the tower roof, those that could grabbing their trainers on the way down. Everyone else leapt off the edge of the roof, landing painfully on the scaffolding and knocking into one another. Shuichi raced for the outer edge, Mukuro urging him to run faster, but a bellow behind him forced him to stop. The roof was now empty except for Necrozma, still collecting every piece of light it could, Nebby, who was too large to escape to the scaffolding and hadn’t ever been captured in a Pokéball by Kaito (who had to be physically dragged off the roof by Gonta and Maki), and…

“Mosaic!” Shuichi shouted.

The Silvally turned to look at Shuichi, but refused to budge, planting his stance and facing the immense ball of light as the last of the light curled and whipped around Necrozma like living tendrils. The circumference of the ball was now the size of the roof’s diameter, greater than anything Shuichi had ever seen. The power was enough to lift Necrozma off the roof, the buckled panels of metal wavering like they were leaves in the wind.

“Get off the roof!” someone shrieked.

Shuichi turned back to the outer edge just in time to see Lunala grab the back of Mukuro’s shirt in her mouth and pull the young woman below the roof’s rim. Mosaic let out a piercing screech, his voice undulating over the hum of the ball of light. The sky was no longer black, the light brightening it enough to show there were clouds in this dark world. The entire world brightened as this pure light burned away the darkness.

Shuichi could only gape and tremble with horror as Necrozma’s head dropped, releasing its hold on the ball of light and sending it plunging toward the roof of the tower. There was no running to safety; he couldn’t escape this.

The world burned to a white intensity as the ball dropped closer and closer. Shuichi shut his eyes, hoping with a child-like innocence that if he couldn’t see the danger, it wouldn’t be there anymore. The light was bright enough to shine through his eyelids. He covered his eyes with his hands in an effort to block the light out, but it still wasn’t enough.

Then everything went dark.

For a moment, Shuichi believed he was dead. There was no way the ball of light had vanished in an instant. He opened his eyes, but wherever he was, it was dark. It was also uncomfortably warm and hot. Confused and curious, he touched the floor of his new surroundings with a bare hand, squeaking in shock when the soft, wet floor moved, jolting his whole body. He reached up and felt the roof of whatever room he was in, realizing it was also wet but firmer than the floor. The room rumbled lightly around him, a hot burst of air hitting him in the back of the neck.

Then there was light once more and Shuichi tumbled to the roof of the tower. Bewildered by whatever just happened to him, he sat with his legs splayed out and stared at nothing for a while, before peeking behind him and seeing Nebby crouched there, panting lightly. 

The Solgaleo had grabbed him in his mouth to shelter him from the attack.

Before the two of them, Necrozma stood hunched in the center of the tower, its clawed wings trembling as it held its quivering body as upright as it could. Mosaic still stood where he had planted himself, seemingly completely unharmed by the attack. In fact, he turned his head and let out a noise similar to a scoff, as if he was amused by Necrozma’s last, desperate move. His black, finned tail wavered lazily back and forth. His… black… tail.

 _Mosaic’s a Dark-type because of the Dark Memory,_ Shuichi realized. The ball of light, it must have been a Psychic-type attack, which had absolutely no effect on Dark-types. Mosaic hadn’t run because he must have somehow sensed what element the attack was and knew he would be safe. Or… he was so foolhardy and prideful he believed he could withstand the attack no matter what.

Honestly, Shuichi could believe either.

The others emerged from the scaffolding, Kaede and Jiro rushing to make sure Shuichi was okay (although they didn’t touch him since he was covered in saliva), while Kaito checked Nebby, who had taken damage but a minimal amount.

“Attack,” Kyoko’s voice was devoid of emotion. She didn’t specify which of her Pokémon she wanted to attack Necrozma, or what attacks they should use, but it apparently didn’t matter.

Beartic bashed Necrozma in the face with an Ice Punch, the force snapping the demon’s head back and exposing its neck. Lycanroc clamped her teeth into its neck, her Crunch attack causing the body of flickering light to jolt and shudder. She let go just in time for Ursaring to deliver a Focus Punch to Necrozma’s stomach, throwing the demon backward into a ball. It didn’t even try to fight back anymore.

“Summon your internal light,” Mukuro told Lunala. 

“Beast that calls forth the moon!” Angie chanted.

Lunala’s body glowed from within, turning a beautiful pale blue. She raised her wings so the gold rims of her wings and tail formed a circle. Six points of light formed on the edges of her wings and collected into a single point. She unleashed a beam of blue light, striking Necrozma directly with the concentrated ray of pure moonlight. The demon cried out, unable to defend itself from the attack as it screamed in agony.

Nebby lowered himself to the ground and opened his mouth, Scout and Alba climbing inside. His body began to glow from within as Lunala’s had, turning bright yellow, as if the sun rested inside his body and was flooding him with power. He galloped forward, leaving streaks of light in his wake, and lowered his head to connect with Necrozma’s abdomen. He threw his head back, tossing the demon into the air, then opened his mouth, releasing Alba and Scout. The two Eeveelutions were intertwined with one another so they wouldn’t separate as they combined their Ice Beam and Moonblast into a glowing sphere of frost. The sphere almost seemed to implode into a tightly condensed ball of energy, before exploding with such a force that Necrozma’s light finally flashed then died.

For a moment, Necrozma stood as frozen as a statue, the body of the Blinding One as dark as the black sky. The demon violently convulsed, its limbs spasming and jerking as they bent into unnatural angles. The portions of its body that had previously been made of light dissipated like smoke, the armor pieces fitting themselves back into their abnormal arrangements as they faded back into black crystal. Now, all the remained was the broken body of Necrozma, the Pillager of Light.

Everything was lost in a tumultuous uproar as every Pokémon fell upon the demon, ruthlessly ripping, biting, punching, and striking whatever part of its body they could reach. Necrozma let out endless screams of pain, desperately trying to escape the onslaught as it was relentlessly battered from all sides. A giant clawed hand escaped the pile and pathetically attempted to sweep some of the Pokémon aside, but Blazer, Rex, and Lairon latched on to it, dragging it down with their combined weight. Shuichi couldn’t even see the black crystalline body anymore.

The air was filled with shouts from his friends, cries from their attacking Pokémon, and screams from Necrozma. Mosaic was nearly dancing from excitement, his black eyes glinting with bloodlust, but he wouldn’t attack without Shuichi’s order, and right now….

Shuichi was frozen with some unknown feeling. He watched the thrashing mob of Pokémon brutalize Necrozma, the demon ( _Demon…_ ) wailing in agony. Never before could he have imagined that monster ( _Monster…_ ) being reduced to such a state. It had seemed so powerful before; an unstoppable force, but…

He didn’t realize he was crying until he tried to blink his foggy gaze clear. His hand reached up to touch his face and felt the wetness streaming down his cheek. Why was he crying? Was he overwhelmed by everything and these were tears from the stress? 

“Shuichi?” Makoto touched his shoulder, trying to shake him from his thoughts. 

“It’s time to finish this!” Kyoko exclaimed, her attention mostly focused on Necrozma, so she wasn’t aware of Shuichi’s current state of mind. 

“M… Mosaic?” Shuichi mumbled in a confused tone.

The Silvally was so excited for the final battle, he must have misinterpreted Shuichi’s mystified speaking as an order to attack. Pulsating with the power of a Dark-type Multi-Attack, Mosaic raced into battle. The attacking Pokémon noticed he was coming and cleared away, exposing the beaten body of Necrozma so Mosaic could deliver the final blow. Shuichi’s voice choked in his throat as he watched Mosaic get closer and closer before—

Mosaic struck Necrozma’s body with such force its armor cracked, sending shards of black crystal flying across the roof of the tower, some pieces flying so far, they clattered to the ground far below. Necrozma didn’t let out a single noise from the impact, nor did it utter a sound when it fell into a heap, its broken limbs trembling. Mosaic pulled his mouth into a cruel smirk, aggressively placing a clawed foot on Necrozma’s hand. The rest of the Pokémon circled around the two, ready to jump in if Necrozma still showed signs of fighting back.

The world fell silent around Shuichi, despite his friends shouting and jeering at Necrozma. His head listlessly turned to look around him, watching his friends jump and cheer, their mouths open as they yelled, but no sound reached his ears. He turned back toward Necrozma, his gaze blurring as more tears fell from his eyes.

Why?

Why was this hurting him?

Suddenly he was hearing something. The echoes of Necrozma’s cries of agony, the scraping against the grated metal as it hopelessly tried to escape the onslaught of Pokémon attacking it, and the cracking of its armor after Mosaic’s final strike. The auditory memories of these sounds poured over him, digging through his ribs and clutching at his heart. He was so afraid, but he didn’t know why. He wanted to hide behind his hat, but it was so far away, in a different world. He couldn’t hide from this; he had to face reality.

He looked directly into Necrozma’s eyes—

—and he saw _fear_.

Nagisa and Chisa said Necrozma didn’t have emotions. It was just an empty shell of the Blinding One, an entity driven only by its sense of self-preservation. It didn’t have emotions; it couldn’t feel anything…

No, this was wrong. There was no denying what he was seeing. It was fear; pure, unadulterated fear. Fear of pain, fear of dying, fear of these strange creatures that harassed and assaulted it when all it wanted was to recover from the traumatic event that turned it into this empty husk.

“Stop it,” Shuichi whispered, the tears flowing more heavily. The noises of his surroundings were coming back to him.

“Stop it!” Shuichi said a little louder, drawing the attention of the few who were standing close to him.

“STOP IT!” Shuichi covered his ears and screamed as loud as he could. “STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!”

His voice echoed and faded into the sky. Everyone stopped and turned to him, their shock pushing the fight out of their bodies. Normally, he would feel overwhelmed by everyone staring at him, but that didn’t matter at the moment. He dropped to his knees, sobbing loudly.

“Let it go. Please… stop hurting it.”

Mosaic withdrew the foot he had placed on Necrozma’s hand, so astonished by his trainer’s order he had no choice but to obey out of sheer surprise. He took a step back from Necrozma, then another. He stepped back about ten paces, then froze in place. He didn’t understand what was happening. He was supposed to destroy Necrozma, but his trainer, the person he trusted the most, told him not to. 

“Shuichi, what are talking about?” Jiro dropped to his knees beside his nephew. “We came all this way—,”

“Please,” Shuichi sobbed, “please just let it go. It doesn’t deserve this. I don’t want to kill it.”

“But if we let it go…” Kyoko whispered, turning to the huddled mass of shattered crystal, “… it might come back. We can’t risk that.”

“But…” Kaito spoke slowly, as if he was unsure of what he was saying. “But you guys said if it knew it would be attacked… it wouldn’t come back. It wouldn’t risk it. We… we could let it go; it’ll run away and never come back.”

“You can’t be sure of that,” Kokichi argued. 

“I don’t want to kill it,” Shuichi repeated. “It doesn’t deserve to die.”

“Who cries for the demon?” Kiyo said so softly no one heard him. “The one who looks upon it and sees the pain within.”

They were interrupted by the sound of scraping against the metal roof. Necrozma pushed itself upright, its jagged, broken body twitching and shaking, one arm supporting itself at an even crazier angle than before. It watched them with an intense gaze, waiting to see if the attack would continue before dragging itself toward the edge of the roof.

Now was the moment Shuichi had to make a decision. If he let Necrozma go, there was a chance it would return to their world to take the light. Or, it would stay away because it knew it would meet opposition if it returned. If he let it escape, it could run away, deep into Ultra Space and never come back, but would continue to suffer in its current state. He could kill it, preventing it from returning and put it out of its misery. But…

He couldn’t do it. What right did he have to make that decision? 

“I’m not a killer,” he stated, his voice quivering with emotion. “Mosaic’s not a killer. I won’t let him be one. I can’t do it… I can’t kill Necrozma.”

It was almost as if the demon were waiting for those words. Necrozma flung itself off the roof, what little power it still had lifting it to the roof of the nearest building. The four Tapu each looked as if they wanted to follow it, to ensure with total finality it would never return to their islands, but they stopped themselves. Several of Shuichi’s friends rushed to the edge of the tower’s roof, watching the writhing mass heave itself from roof to roof, eventually disappearing when the distance made it too difficult to discern Necrozma from the material the buildings were made from. 

“It’s gone,” Aoi announced.

“Do you think it’ll survive the night?” Nagisa wondered. “We caused so much damage to it.”

No one replied because they didn’t have an answer. Nagisa continued to gaze in the direction Necrozma had disappeared in, even after it was impossible to see the creature anymore. He slowly exhaled; he felt that sickness in his stomach some people felt after a highly stressful situation. He looked out over the city, his city. There was always this melancholy feeling that permeated the air, despite his memories of happy moments. They always tried to make the best of their situation, but the desire to no longer live in the dark was always hanging over their hands. That was why he put his prodigious intelligence to use by training as a scientist: to find a solution to returning the light.

“Weren’t there people here at some point?” Tenko spoke up. 

“Yeah,” Yuta agreed. “Didn’t they surround us before the battle?”

“And where are Junko and Monokuma?” Monophanie whimpered, tightly hugging her Nihilego.

Nagisa felt a stab of fear as he looked over the edge of the tower roof. The people of his world often walked with small orbs of artificial light, meaning if one looked down from high up, they would see thousands of small lights moving through the streets, but he couldn’t see any of them. It was like… they weren’t there anymore.

“We need to go down!” Nagisa declared. “Get in the shuttle! We need to go down to the street level!”

“Nagisa,” Chisa tried to calm him as he ran past her into the shuttle. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t respond, instead frantically gesturing for everyone to return their Pokémon and board the shuttle. Mukuro and Kaede had to yank Shuichi to his feet and physically drag him inside. While the shuttle looked highly technological and sci-fi on the outside, it was little more than a metal tube on the inside. There was a chair in the front of the panels where the steering was, but, other than that, there were no more seats. Like a public train, there were metal bars overhead to hang onto, but little else. 

Nagisa jumped into the pilot’s chair, the panel lighting up and the shuttle humming as it activated. Shuichi’s mind began to clear enough that he was able to admire Nagisa. Despite the boy’s young age, he was able to steer the shuttle and was clearly respected as a scientist and researcher. The shuttle lifted, and its passengers felt weightless for a moment, frantically clutching the metal bars so they wouldn’t be thrown about as the shuttle descended.

The melancholy ambiance of the city was now intermixed with an eerie emptiness. Everyone cautiously exited the shuttle and looked around, their shadows casting against the street, lit from behind by the light of the tower. The towers and buildings of black crystal loomed overhead, both exuding and reflecting the artificial lights of the city. Nebby had descended down the tower on his own, since he was unable to be returned to a Pokéball at the moment, jumping from building to building and guided by the Tapu. He landed far enough away he didn’t need to worry about harming any humans, and carefully approached them.

“Maybe they ran?” Chihiro suggested. “Seeing Necrozma as the Blinding One… it must have been frightening.”

“No,” Nagisa firmly shook his head. “This world isn’t like yours, where people are spread out and can establish themselves anywhere. When this tower, this source of light and power, was created, all peoples of this world came here to this city. Our population is purposefully restricted because, if it wasn’t, we would run out of resources. This light burns away the despair in our souls, it powers our hydroponic farms, it—,”

He faltered and shook his head. “They couldn’t have run… there’s nowhere _to_ run.”

“Then where did they go?” Gonta wondered. “Underground?”

Shuichi wandered from the heart of the group to investigate on his own, though he wasn’t sure he had the mental capacity to do so at the moment. He had never been in an empty city before and found it profoundly disturbing. His foot kicked something, and he flinched when it clattered across the pavement. A closer examination revealed the object to be a piece of Necrozma’s body, a broken shard of black crystal. 

“Are you okay?” Kaede had followed him away from the main group and must have become concerned when she saw him crouching in the street.

“Kaede… do you hate me?”

“Wha—!? Why would you ask me that!?”

“I couldn’t do it… I couldn’t kill Necrozma. It’s still alive; it could still come back… because of me.”

“So you think I hate you for having empathy? Of course not. You were in a bad situation and the only ones who will blame you at all are the ones who believe they would be able to act under the same circumstances, but probably couldn't.”

“If you were in my position… would you have done it?”

Kaede went silent as she contemplated what he was asking. Shuichi sighed and fiddled with the shard of Necrozma, mentally comparing it to a Z-Crystal give how it reflected the dim light. With a sigh, he dropped the shard, causing it to clatter loudly.

“I think… if I were in your position,” Kaede spoke slowly, “I would have done the same. At least… I would hope I had the courage to do the same.”

“Courage?” Shuichi repeated incredulously. “That wasn’t courage; that was cowardice. I chose to let it go rather than deal with the guilt of ending a life. A light-stealing, dimension-traveling monster… but a life nonetheless.”

“Exactly.” Kaede took his hands in her own, and he would have blushed at the physical contact if he weren’t currently mentally berating himself. “The battle was won; all you had to do was give Mosaic the command and he would have ended Necrozma’s life, but you didn’t. You pitied the Pillager of Light. You didn’t need to kill it to win the battle, you just had to let it know it lost. Maybe I don’t know what true courage is… but I think it’s brave to spare a life that— although not innocent— doesn’t deserve to die.”

“I’ll show you courage!” a high-pitched voice roared. 

Shuichi and Kaede spun to face a deranged Monokuma as he bore down on them, wielding a piece of Necrozma’s body, larger and more jagged than the piece Shuichi had looked at. He tried to grab the suit Shuichi was wearing by the neck, but it was too tight for him to get a grip. Kaede and Shuichi stepped away, too baffled to run, while their attacker stumbled after them. There was something clearly wrong with him, almost as if he were severely ill in some way, either mentally or physically or, perhaps, both.

Suddenly, Monokuma was tackled to the ground, the black crystal flying out of his hand and bouncing away. He grunted and tried to push his attacker away but didn’t have the strength.

“Keep your fucking hands off my kid!” Uncle Jiro snarled, punching Monokuma so hard in the face the man spat blood in the street.

Mondo and Kiyotaka came running over, detaining Monokuma once Jiro got off him. The Monokubs approached cautiously, crowding together and staring at their former father-figure. Their eyes flickered to Jiro then back to Monokuma, as if they were mentally comparing Jiro’s actions to Monokuma’s and realizing how a true, loving caretaker was meant to behave. 

“His Pokéballs are gone,” Kiyotaka revealed after checking Monokuma’s belt and clothes. “Where’s the Ultra Beast?”

But Monokuma could do nothing but giggle in response, bloody saliva dribbling from his lips. He didn’t bother trying to fight the grasp the two officers had on his body, instead lying limply on the pavement. 

“Why is he still here?” said Rantaro. “If everyone else fled, why was he left behind?”

“And what’s wrong with his face?” Himiko asked.

“I think he had a stroke at some point,” Kokichi replied.

The left half of Monokuma’s face was still pulled upward in a sneer, but Himiko was referring to the blotches of discolored skin. Nagisa knelt beside Monokuma and gently touched the skin, manipulating the man’s head so he could see the burns extend down his neck.

“These are radiation burns,” Nagisa informed them. “He must have gotten them from traveling through Ultra Space without proper protection.”

“Junko had them too,” Shuichi confirmed.

“He’s probably in an immense amount of pain. He needs a doctor.”

“He always needed a doctor, but a different kind,” Yuta spat.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Miu asked, throwing her arms out to gesture to the empty street. “The people are gone, Necrozma’s gone, Junko’s still on the loose. Did we complete anything we set out to do?”

“Shut up,” Kaede scolded her, glancing at Shuichi to make sure he wasn’t beating himself up over letting Necrozma go.

“I guess… we go home?” said Makoto. 

Was it really that easy? Shuichi picked up the shard of Necrozma he had been investigating before. He could see his own reflection in the crystal’s surface. He almost didn’t recognize himself— not because of the suit, but because of his own expression. It was an odd mixture of relief and sadness.

Mondo and Kiyotaka hauled Monokuma to his feet, the Monokubs scattering as their former tormentor was dragged toward the shuttle. No doubt they would be standing as far away from Monokuma as the cramped space would allow them. Nebby stalked alongside Monokuma, growling deep in his throat. Kaito grinned happily at Nebby’s reaction to Monokuma, patting the Solgaleo’s shoulder.

“How will we get home?” Shuichi asked. “Nagisa, you said you were never guaranteed to end up where you wanted when traveling through Ultra Space.”

“Normally, yes, but I set up a tracking beacon at the Altar of the Sunne,” the boy responded. “All we have to follow the beacon and we’ll return home safe and sound. Well… _your_ home.” He glanced around the city with a sad expression.

Nebby tried to shove his muzzle through the door of the shuttle, but they weren’t sure if he was trying to enter the shuttle to ride home or was attempting to follow Monokuma. He stopped once he finally figured out he wasn't going to get through, huffing in annoyance. He wasn’t a tiny little Cosmog anymore and with his new size and strength came some downsides. 

“It’s okay,” Kaito reassured him. “You can run through Ultra Space! Just follow the shuttle, Nebby. Nagisa, do you have a spare suit lying around?”

“You’re not riding Nebby through Ultra Space,” said Maki, pushing Kaito through the shuttle door.

Mukuro released Lunala before she entered the shuttle. Since Lunala had already traversed Ultra Space, Nebby may feel more comfortable if she was with him. Besides, this was the first time the two had seen each other since Nebby had been stolen by the traffickers; or, the first time they had seen each other where the two were conscious, since Lunala had reunited with Nebby when he was a Cosmoem. 

Kiyotaka, Mondo, and Jiro guarded Monokuma at the very back of the shuttle. Despite the limited amount of space, everyone crowded nearer to the front, leaving a clear boundary between them and Monokuma. At least the Tapu retracted into their shells; it wasn’t much, but it offered a few more inches of space. Monokuma looked half-delirious and Shuichi believed what Nagisa had said earlier: no doubt, Monokuma was in a large amount of pain. Now that he thought about it, Shuichi’s burned thigh was beginning to bother him once more. The adrenaline rush was ending.

It was strange to make this journey within the shuttle. When Shuichi had ridden on Lunala’s back, he had experienced Ultra Space all around him. There was something restricting about looking at it from the window at the front of the shuttle. Kaito silently admired the purples and blues and the balls of energy and wormholes passing by, but Shuichi knew he had yet to fully experience the awe and beauty of Ultra Space. 

The trip was over all too quickly (according to Kaito, but Shuichi agreed). The blues and purples rushed past, melting away as the greens and browns of the altar reappeared, as well as the blue of the sky and the distant sea fading into a single horizon. Nebby and Lunala came to a halt behind the shuttle, turning back to the Ultra Wormhole. Maybe the ability to open the wormholes was instinctual for them— they just _knew_ how to do it. The shuttle’s passengers poured out just in time to see the Beasts of Light flex their abilities and close the Ultra Wormhole, shutting the door to Ultra Space beyond.

Shuichi looked around the altar and took in a deep breath, inhaling the scent of earthy scent of the islands and the salty tang of the ocean. It was calming, especially after experiencing the sterility of Ultra Megalopolis. The sun’s light was back with Nebby’s return and Shuichi realized he had never appreciated how much he valued the light of his world. He then noticed an interesting fact that almost baffled him. Based on the sun’s position, it was early afternoon. Had that entire adventure into Ultra Space truly only taken two hours at the most!? It felt like forever.

“Our camp is undisturbed,” Kirumi observed. “It appears nothing has changed.”

“Undisturbed” might not have been the complete truth. Their belongings were untouched, but there were signs some people had been through. Fresh footprints in the dirt on the stone stairs, too many to count, were the clearest signs someone had been here after they left. Kyoko crouched to examine the prints while Kiyotaka retrieved a rope to tie Monokuma’s arms. 

“I guess we should pack up and go?” said Angie. She bent to begin the process of collapsing the table but was interrupted by Tapu Fini’s mental voice.

“These prints are not of the Keala family,” she declared. Everyone turned to see she was beside Kyoko, also examining the footprints. “The family usually wears simple shoes or goes barefoot. These are boot prints and a great many.”

“Boot prints,” Nagisa repeated softly. 

“I don’t believe we are done here,” said Tapu Koko, looking out over the water. “Can you feel it?”

“I’m not feelin’ nothin’,” Miu responded.

Honestly, Shuichi couldn’t feel anything either. Everything appeared calm and peaceful, so what was Tapu Koko talking about? What could the Guardian deities sense that everyone else, Nebby and Lunala included, could not?

“I feel it is best we ensure the islands’ safety,” Chisa suggested. “Let’s go to Hau’oli City on Melemele Island. It’s the largest and most-populated city in Alola; if anything’s changed, we’ll be able to collect information there.”

“What about the camp?” Kaede asked.

“Collect your belongings if you’re worried about losing them but leave everything behind. We have some other International Officers close by; they can clean up for us.”

Kyoko’s head snapped in Chisa’s direction, a deep frown on her face at the mention of other officers, but then it morphed into a slight smirk as she muttered, “Clean-up crew.”

“Other officers? Who else is here?” Shuichi asked Makoto.

“Not _here_ here, but close by,” the young man answered. 

_That didn’t answer my question,_ but it looked like Makoto wasn’t willing to offer a clearer answer.

With Chisa’s advice in mind, Shuichi returned to his tent to collect his things, only now realizing he was still tightly clutching the shard of Necrozma in his hand. He took a moment to acknowledge the crystal, half-tempted to toss it away, but then stowed it into his messenger bag. Shuichi quickly packed the other items he deemed the most important, including the case of Memory discs. He didn’t bother changing back into his regular clothes. He would do that tonight once their belongings were collected by the other officers. Besides, the suit was starting to grow on him.

“One last thing,” said Kaito, randomly searching through several bags before pulling out an empty Pokéball. “C’mon Nebby, let’s make traveling easier for you.”

*Hau’oli City*

Shuichi’s friends had explored Hau’oli City while they were searching for any sign of him after he was shipwrecked in the tropical storm, but Shuichi only had a fleeting view of the city while they passed through on their way to the marina to leave for Paradise. Now, he was able to see everything and was surprised by how modern-looking the city was. Sure, he had been through Heahea, but that city still had a rural ambiance to it, and Malie and Konokoni both had very traditional designs to the buildings, although traditional in different senses. Honestly, Hau’oli was the most like Litra of any place he had seen on the islands. The only downside of returning to a highly-populated area was the Guardian deities leaving them.

The workers of city hall welcomed them after Chisa introduced Kyoko and the other International Officers. The group was led to a grassy lot at the back of the building where they could relax and release their Pokémon. Monokuma was taken to the local jail and stowed away inside an empty cell. Kyoko said he would be standing trial for his crimes, but Shuichi would feel more justified if Junko were also answering for her crimes as well.

Shuichi released Scout, Lumine, and Mosaic into the lot, the former two visibly relieved to discover they were no longer in Ultra Megalopolis, while the latter turned a cold shoulder on his trainer. Shuchi admitted the gesture hurt as the Silvally purposefully walked away from him, seemingly upset by his trainer’s decision to prevent him from killing Necrozma.

“He’ll get over it,” Mukuro reassured Shuichi. “Once the rush of the battle completely wears off, he’ll realize you made the right choice.”

“Are you sure?”

“He obeyed you even when he didn’t want to; his loyalty to you overpowered his desire to be the Beast Killer.”

“According to the Sea Folk, no one passed through the village.” Aoi idly chewed on the end of a pencil as she went through the bulleted information they had managed to gather on their way to Melemele Island. She had borrowed Kiyo’s notepad to jot down the information. “There were signs a large group of people were at the altar after we left, but no visible signs within the Ancient Poni Canyon.”

“But the canyon’s path was crafted because of repeated use,” said Sakura. “Millions of footsteps pounded the dirt flat and shaped the pathway. Footsteps created the path; we wouldn’t be able to discern footprints apart from any others.”

“The Sea Folk didn’t see any strangers and none of the boats were missing,” Aoi continued. “That means, if there were strangers at the altar and they weren’t the Keala family, they must still be somewhere on Poni Island.”

“Are there many places for them to hide?” Kiyo asked. “How far do the tunnels in the canyons go?”

“I’m not sure; I’ve never explored them.”

“Tapu Fini said the prints were from boots,” Nagisa spoke up. “A large group of people wearing boots hints at the group being… from Ultra Megalopolis. Especially since the entire city was empty.”

“But what are the chances?” Makoto argued. 

“I did set up a beacon,” Nagisa reminded him. “If they were able to lock onto it, they could have come here, fleeing through an Ultra Wormhole when Necrozma reawakened as the Blinding One.”

“But the Ultra Wormhole we went through was up in the sky,” said Kaito. “And it closed once we came through. How could they have escaped?”

“Ultra Wormholes can appear anywhere,” Nagisa explained. “They’re very unpredictable. We have the technology to, sort of… _will_ one into appearing, but we can’t control them.”

“An Ultra Wormhole appeared in Litra,” Shuichi remembered. “And one more must have appeared before the one on New Year’s to let the strangers who attacked me through.”

“But I thought that was because of Nebby being in Litra,” Kaito remarked.

Aoi added the information Nagisa had revealed about the wormholes to her bulleted list, but whatever conversation they were having was interrupted by Chihiro rushing through city hall’s back door, clearly in a panic.

“Everyone! Get inside! Quick! There’s something on the television you need to see!”

Shuichi felt immediate dread based on Chihiro’s tone, but fear stabbed him deep in the heart when he raced into the reception area of city hall and saw a familiar face on the screen. Junko looked just as mentally unstable as when he saw her on top of the tower. The radiation burns on her face were more apparent, probably having been “refreshed” from her making the second journey through Ultra Space without protection. One of her pigtails was loosened and threatened to fall apart. She was still wearing her impromptu lab coat, but parts of it were falling away at the seams.

“Hello boys and girls, thought you’d gotten rid of me, huh?” she sneered at her audience from the other side of the screen. “But you forgot one important fact: Aether Paradise belongs to _me_. I can do with it as I wish, and it’s my wish that I blow it up.”

She said the last statement like it was nothing, as if her decision carried no weight to it. Aether Paradise may belong to her, but she cared little for it. Like a selfish, toy-breaking child, she didn’t care what happened to it as long as it was her property.

“Think about it,” she visibly shrugged her shoulders. “Think about all those innocent employees and Pokémon, and all the valuable research we’ve accumulated— poof! Gone. So, here’s what’s going to happen. International Officers, the stupid civilians you’ve recruited, and my bitch of a sister, you will stay back. If I see you on _my_ island, Paradise is fucked, got it!? These people, these Pokémon, the research, it all belongs to me and now I have to recraft it all into a new plan, but hey— necessity is the mother of invention. I’m sure I’ll find a way to make it all work out.”

With that, the screen fuzzed out then went blank, leaving everyone in the reception area silent and agape in horror. 

“I don’t believe it,” Shuichi whispered.

“What don’t you believe!?” Kokichi scolded him. “This is exactly what she would do! She’s holding Paradise captive, so we can’t act against her.”

“There must be something we can do!” Kaito insisted. “The employees and the Pokémon— we have to do something to get them out!”

“But if we go to Paradise, she’ll blow it up,” Tsumugi whimpered. “And us along with it.”

“No,” Kyoko shook her head. “She won’t.”

“What are you talking about?” Maki scoffed. “She looked pretty serious about it.”

“Paradise is her leverage against us,” Mukuro explained. “If she just destroys it, she has nothing.”

“But destroying it would bring despair,” said Shuichi, “and isn’t that what she wants?”

“It’s too simple; too easy. If she destroys Paradise, the world will mourn it and the victims, but eventually will move on. Her original plan to have Necrozma steal the light to plunge our world into chaos and tragedy would have incited the despair she wished for all people to feel, but the act of destroying Paradise wouldn’t reach nearly as many on an emotional level. No, she’s trying to keep us away, so she can scavenge what little she can of her remaining resources.”

“Then that means,” Kaede spoke slowly as she thought it out, “the best option would be to attack right away?”

“There’s only one of her,” Kaito grinned, his heroic confidence returning. “Let’s do it!”

“Don’t assume she doesn’t have defenders,” Kyoko rebuked him. “She’s manipulative, and now she’s holding Paradise hostage. The employees know their lives in danger as long as she is there. Their best chance of surviving is letting her leave of her own accord and if they have to keep us at bay so she’ll leave, then they will.”

“So, she has an army… Well, what about the Sea Folk? Couldn’t they help us?”

Makoto approached Kyoko and grabbed her shoulder, whispering something in her ear before addressing the others. “We know where we can find some help. The rest of you start mentally preparing yourselves. Yuta, Aoi, go and see if the Sea Folk would be willing to help us. We’ll be right back.”

Makoto and Kyoko hurriedly left the building, each pulling out their cell phones and looking around to make sure no one was paying attention to either of them.

“You call the Kuzuryu Clan,” Kyoko told Makoto. “I’ll call the officers.”

*

Just like Gonta had said at the Altar of the Sunne, it was scarier waiting for something to happen than to experience the event one was dreading. Makoto and Kyoko refused to say who the allies were they had contacted and kept insisting everyone remain on Melemele Island. But, as each hour passed, Shuichi became more and more panicked. The sun was beginning to set, turning the ocean water bright orange. Were they making the attack at night?

Yuta and Aoi had ventured to Poni Island on their Gyarados and Wailord, returning with an entire fleet of Sea Folk boats and their Water Pokémon. Alongside them were the Guardian deities who, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t have blatantly shown themselves to so many people, but decided the situation was too important to isolate themselves. Most of the tourists within Hau’oli had fled while the other residents had swarmed to the coast, trying to get a view of Aether Paradise in the distance and decipher whether the broadcast they had seen was some huge prank or the truth. Given the presence of the Sea Folk fleet and International Officers, the latter was clearly the answer.

“Can she really destroy Aether Paradise?” Chihiro whimpered. “I mean… it’s a huge facility; taking it down can’t be easy.”

“I’m sure she has a fail-safe,” Mukuro growled. It was clear she was becoming agitated the longer they remained here on Melemele. She was pacing along one of the marina docks, pausing every once in a while to glower in the direction of Paradise.

“How much longer are we going to waste time!?” Mukuro got in Kyoko’s face; though, to the latter’s credit, she didn’t flinch or waver. “She’s cornered for now, but the longer we wait, the greater chance she has of escaping!”

“What _are_ we waiting for?” Maki frowned, folding her arms across her chest. 

Makoto grimaced nervously, realizing their allies were restless and unsettled. His fellow officers were able to keep their bearings, but Shuichi and his friends were internalizing their loathing of Junko, letting it fester and rot into hatred. 

“Kyoko,” Makoto spoke, “we can’t keep waiting. They’re right; we need to attack Paradise and arrest Junko before she has a chance to escape.”

Kyoko’s hands clenched into fists as she weighed the options before her. They could continue waiting for the rest of their allies to arrive or they could attack now. If they waited, they could guarantee an increase in their attack numbers, but risked Junko escaping. If they attacked now, they risked being overwhelmed by whatever forces or weapons Junko had, but it looked as if that might be a risk they had to take. The sun was setting, and it would be dark soon.

“Officer Yukizome,” she turned to the other woman, “what do you suggest?”

“It’s a difficult situation,” Chisa admitted. “I spent over a year observing Junko. I agree with Mukuro in that Junko most likely has a fail-safe plan. She believes Paradise belongs to her and she can do with it as she wishes, including destroying it to prevent others from using it, but Paradise is also her bargaining tool. I say… we take the resources we have right now and attack.”

It was as if a switch had been flipped. The moment everyone heard Chisa’s decision they leapt into action. Gyarados, Wailord, and Lapras took their trainers and a couple passengers upon their backs while most everyone else piled into the Sea Folk boats. Angie and Makoto took to the skies on their Tropius and Pidgeot respectively, soaring over the coastline and observing as the boats cast off, moving in a fleet formation across the gold-orange water as they sailed for Paradise.

Shuichi moved to the bow of the boat he had boarded, watching with apprehension as the distant shape of Paradise grew larger and larger. It didn’t look any different from when they were there just yesterday, but, then again, it never looked threatening from the outside. He began fiddling with the strap of his messenger bag. The apprehension he was feeling was more concerning the unknown of what lie within Paradise, not outright fear of facing that unknown. He stared Necrozma in the face and didn’t back down; he could do this.

Once they were close enough, one difference in Paradise’s appearance quickly became apparent. The docks were located underneath the main body structure of the facility and, to access them from the water, one had to pass beneath one of the giant arched doorways. Now, they were able to see some sort of storm door had been used to block access through the doorways. While the original intention of these shields was mostly likely to keep rolling waves during tropical storms out of the docks, they also doubled as a blockade to prevent them from entering Paradise from the water.

Makoto and Pidgeot swooped low enough toward the boats that Makoto was able to throw an object to Kyoko, who deftly caught it without missing a beat. She stepped up to the bow of the boat she was on and held up the item, revealing it to the be the heat-ray gun. She fiddled with something on the side of the gun’s body then aimed it directly at the storm shield in front of them. The smooth gray of the metal turned pink then an intense red, the water sizzling and boiling as the door melted away, the red-hot metal reforming into twisted coils and sinking into the ocean. 

“Look out!” someone shouted as a dark shadow passed overhead.

Junko’s Mega Aerodactyl snapped at Pidgeot and Makoto, trying to grab the young man off his Pokémon’s back. Tropius unleashed a Razor Leaf attack, distracting Aerodactyl long enough for Pidgeot to escape, skimming along the water’s surface.

“Get inside!” Makoto ordered. 

If Aerodactyl chose to unleash a Rock Slide attack or something similar, the boulders would sink the fleet before any of the passengers had a chance to fight for Paradise. The four Tapu hovered above the boats to prevent any boulders from raining down while Gyarados and Lapras took positions on either side of the melted storm door as the boats filed through. Pidgeot and Tropius took turns keeping Aerodactyl distracted until everyone was through, folding their wings and swooping through the uneven opening of the metal door. Gyarados and Lapras swam through, the latter swinging around and plugging the hole with an Ice Beam, just as she had done to the traffickers’ ship.

“Given our method of approach, Junko most likely saw us coming,” Chisa’s voice echoed around the eerily empty docks. “We must proceed with the belief that she knows we’re here.”

“I haven’t been here many times,” said one of the Sea Folk, “but I’ve never seen the docks completely empty.”

“They’re not meant to be,” Mukuro remarked. “The docks are one of the major hubs of activity due to deliveries and the arrival and departures of visitors. It’s also the main entrance and exit to Paradise, unless one flies in. There’re supposed to be guards here at all times.”

“So, she pulled the guards back and just let us in?” Kaito said incredulously. “I mean, I understand how we infiltrated the first time, since Junko barely knew we existed, but she _knew_ we were coming this time. Why did she let us in?”

“She had giant metal doors blocking the entrance,” Kokichi pointed out. “I think that might be a universally-understood display of ‘keep the fuck out.’”

“She wants us here,” Mukuro growled. “If she wanted us to stay out, she would have put more effort into it.” 

She pulled Lunala’s Pokéball from her pocket, tightly gripping the item in her grasp but not releasing the Pokémon just yet. Everyone else took her lead, however, releasing what Pokémon could travel on land. Shuichi grimly realized many of the Sea Folk possessed Water-type Pokémon who could only maneuver in the water. That heavily reduced the number of allies they had when they met opposition. Rantaro and Yuta had to return Lapras and Gyarados, but Miu managed to figure out a way of transporting Octillery by having him ride on Lairon’s back.

Mosaic observed his surroundings with a reserved look of apprehension. The last time he had seen these docks was when they were leaving Paradise after Junko escaped into Ultra Space, but the time before that was… when he was brought into Paradise after the traffickers captured him. While the humans and Pokémon grouped and relayed instructions to one another, he strode around the shipping containers, critically eyeing each one to make sure there were no enemies hiding inside. Lumine and Scout watched him as he investigated, glancing behind them to see Kyoko’s Pokémon were watching as well.

“Are we assuming she’s locked herself in her secret lab?” Makoto asked, checking the band hold the Pidgeotite on Pidgeot’s leg. Victini was sitting on his shoulder and tightly gripping his hair, showing signs of distress since the last visit to this place didn’t end well.

“If you’d like, Himiko and I could use Banette and Mismagius to explore the facility,” Kiyo offered as he slid the chemical gloves he had packed up his arms. Shuichi was still unsure of what he intended to use the gloves for and was becoming increasingly confused.

“Does she know you possess these Pokémon?” Kyoko inquired.

“If she paid attention to the battle in the secret lab, she might remember I have a Banette.”

“But I never used Mismagius then,” Himiko added. “And she was a Misdreavus at the time.”

“Then I suggest we let Mismagius explore and keep Banette back,” Kyoko responded. Himiko nodded and sent her Ghost-type off, Mismagius fazing through the wall.

“Do we wait for her to get back? That could take hours!” Mondo complained. 

“We need to take back Paradise,” Chisa didn’t directly reprimand him, but her tone held a hint of scolding. “I say we move upward from floor to floor, defeating anyone who stands in our way, whether they do so willingly or not. Once Mismagius locates Junko, we’ll converge to wherever she’s hiding.”

“What makes you think she’s hiding?” Mukuro muttered so softly only Shuichi heard her.

The elevator hummed to life, drawing everyone’s attention as the platform lowered from the ceiling. Several Aether employees were riding the platform, accompanied by a Rhydon, two Eelektross, and two Bouffalant. 

“Please,” one of the employees sobbed, lifting her head to show there were tears streaming down her cheeks, “please don’t hate us. She told us we had to fight or… or she’ll kill the Pokémon. We don’t want to, but we have to!”

The Rhydon threw its head back and roared before charging directly into the crowd, its drive fueled not by anger towards its targets, but rather by its desire to protect the weaker Pokémon Junko was threatening. The people scrambled out of its path, which continued undeterred until it ran directly into Stakataka, stopping dead in its tracks. Rhydon let out a groan of pain and stumbled back, one of Stakataka’s legs whipping it across the face. A tiny shape darted toward Rhydon and suddenly the large Rock/Ground-type was passed out on the floor, the greenish glowing remnant of a Leaf Blade attack fading from the air. Monodam’s Kartana flourished its arms, examining Rhydon’s unconscious body to make sure the Pokémon wouldn’t be attacking anymore, before returning to its trainer’s side. 

The two Eelektross looked uneasy after seeing Rhydon, a much larger and defensive Pokémon than themselves, go down so easily. Maki’s Marowak saw an opening and flung his Thick Club in a Bonemerang attack, but the two Eelektross knocked it away, their Levitate abilities protecting them from Ground-type attacks. Both let loose a Discharge attack, hoping to strike as many opponents as they could, but Marowak’s Lightningrod ability absorbed the electricity, also dealing no damage since he was a Ground-type.

One of the Bouffalant charged, its smaller size allowing it more maneuverability than Rhydon had. It was able to dodge around Stakataka but stopped short when Gallade directly confronted it. Gallade extended his elbow blades and went in for a Brick Break attack. Bouffalant was able move its head aside so it avoided a direct hit, but Gallade still struck one of its massive horns, throwing the buffalo Pokémon off balance. Tenko’s Blaziken crouched onto one knee and threw a cruel punch into Bouffalant’s underside, completely tipping the Pokémon onto its side. The second Bouffalant came charging in to help its brethren but Mienshao whipped its furred, sleeve-like tendrils and wrapped them around Bouffalant’s horns. The Pokémon kept going since it had momentum and outweighed Mienshao, dragging her with it. Gonta’s Heracross rushed in and grabbed Bouffalant by the head, his feet scraping against the floor as his raw strength brought the charging Pokémon to a reluctant halt. 

The Eelektross were forced off the platform once Salandit and Torracat began spitting fire balls at them. Realizing using Ground-types, Electric’s only natural weakness, wouldn’t work, Marowak and Raja the Nidoking used different elemental attacks they had at their disposal, while their Ground-typing would protect them from attack by the Eelektross. Marowak lowered his head and Headbutt one of the Eelektross directly into Cy’s path, the Meowstic using Psychic to contort the eel-like Pokémon. Raja opened his mouth and spat out a Sludge Bomb, covering the second Eelektross in poisonous muck. Both Pokémon fell to the damage being inflicted, leaving the Aether employees defenseless.

“Where is she?” Chisa demanded, the employees flinching and cowering away from her.

“W-we don’t kn-know,” one of them responded. “She c-communicated over the radios.”

“Figures,” Mukuro muttered before stepping onto the elevator platform. “Take shelter here in the docks.”

The employees scurried away from the platform but refused to go too far from their unconscious Pokémon, hiding near the storage containers. The platform wasn’t large enough to bring all the allies up at the same time, so Chisa quickly stepped in to divide the group. She decided to lead a smaller division consisting of Chihiro, Mondo, Kiyotaka, and several of the Sea Folk to explore the secret labs, leaving Kyoko, Makoto, and Mukuro to decide how to lead the rest of the allies.

The platform rose to the secret lab level, returning when prompted after the riders disembarked. Makoto decided to lead an expedition to the living quarters, hoping to find anyone who might be hiding there and direct them to the docks. Kiyo, Kirumi, Ryoma, Tsumugi, Monophanie, Monodam, Angie, and Yuta decided to accompany him, with Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini coming along after the latter two decided to join the group. The remaining group, still composed of the most people, were to go to the reception area. Nagisa stated there was an intercom system at the main desk they could use to speak with the entirety of Paradise.

Shuichi felt uneasy watching his friends ascend the elevator, the remaining group, though still very large, growing ever smaller. Once the elevator returned, the last of the allies boarded the platform and rode upward, stopping in the reception area. Shuichi remembered only ever being in this area after Sol rescued him from the docks. The Solrock had dropped him off on the open deck outside of this room where Kaito met up with him, then the two came in through this way and boarded the elevator to reach the third floor. The reception area looked like an entrance hall for some grand manor except it was as white and sterile as the rest of Paradise. The area was empty of any other people besides them, immediately drawing their attention. Nagisa cautiously stepped off the platform and then rushed for the reception desk, frantically fiddling with the computer.

“Nothing’s working!” he announced anxiously.

“This might be the answer,” Kyoko replied, nudging a severed wire with her foot. 

“We could still access the intercom,” Miu glanced at one of the speakers in the corner of the ceiling. “Remind me, why do we want to do that?”

“We need to let the employees know they’re not alone,” said Mukuro. “They need to know all is not lost. If we can inspire hope in them, they might come out and fight _for_ us, rather than against.”

“Keebo, Miu,” Shuichi directed, “stay here and help Nagisa access the intercom. Gonta, you stay too and protect them.”

“Okay!” Gonta enthusiastically agreed.

A scream from outside drew their attention to door leading out to the east and west decks. Normally, the doorway would be open to allow visitors and employees free access to the decks, but the door was shut right now. Despite the physical blockage, they could still hear the commotion going on outside. Mukuro didn’t even hesitate in striding purposefully to the door and opening it. The decks were same golden-orange as the setting sun, countless dark shapes running about and screaming.

Shuichi gasped in horror once he realized exactly where the people of Ultra Megalopolis had disappeared to. Numerous bodies clad in the same skin-tight suit he still wore were directing various Ultra Beasts in battle, Aether employees and some strangers wearing normal clothes vainly trying to fight back. One of the strangers was sent tumbling across the deck from an enemy Xurkitree’s Power Whip. Kaede rushed out the doorway to help them, checking they weren’t too beaten up.

“I know you,” the stranger said, looking at Kaede’s face. “You walk with the blessing of the Tapu.”

“You’re from the Keala family,” Kaede realized. 

“What are you doing here!?” Sakura snapped. “Haven’t you realized Junko’s treachery by this point!?”

“We have!” the family member cried, dropping to their knees and bowing their head to the floor. “We witnessed Solgaleo’s awakening and the Pillager’s return. We saw you disappear into nothing and then Junko’s return with the strangers. She cast us aside without a care. Necrozma came to our world and _you_ drove it back; not only that, you chased it into its world. These strangers brought violent creatures; we came here to stop them, to protect the islands, as we were always meant to.”

If the Monokubs could change sides because their wish to remain with their Ultra Beasts was more powerful than their fear of Monokuma and Junko, then Shuichi was willing to believe the Keala family had a change of heart once they realized the true danger Junko threatened to unleash on the islands. They sided with her because she promised protection from a seemingly-unstoppable force, but now the family had to become that protection.

“Stand up,” Aoi ordered, the family member scrambling to their feet. “Now… protect these islands!”

“Yes ma’am!” The family member turned and ran towards the battle, dodging an enemy Buzzwole’s swipe of the arm.

Kaito (because of course!) led the charge into battle, most of the group following him out of adrenaline-fueled confusion. They washed over the enemies like a wave, driving several towards the east deck and effectively splitting the attackers in two. An enemy Blacephalon hurled its head at Shuichi, but Mosaic expertly intercepted it with Crush Claw while Scout hit the Blacephalon’s body with Water Pulse. A Pheromosa weaved between fighters and tried to deliver a kick with its slim but powerful leg to Himiko, but her Braixen and Torracat spat fire at it, burning holes in the thin membrane on its head. A large Ultra Beast somewhat resembling Poipole except for its size, wings, and a giant stinger protruding from its abdomen, was commanding a small swarm of Poipole. Cy and Nova banded together and used a combined Psychic attack to take out as many Poipole as they could.

Kyoko’s Pokémon each took a Xurkitree’s tendrils in their claws and pulled, stretching the Ultra Beast and preventing it from touching the floor. Its head flickered, indicating it was about to release a jolt of electricity and the three hastily let go. Monosuke winced at their treatment of the enemy Xurkitree and wisely kept his own Ultra Beast withdrawn from the battle, an action Monokid and Monotaro copied.

Shuichi side-stepped one of the Aether employees trying to tackle him, Lumine slamming his body into the poor man and sending him sprawling across the deck. A Stakataka slowly turned its immense body toward Shuichi, its soulless blue eyes staring directly at him. It trudged toward him, its legs somehow not leaving cracks in the floor of the deck. Mosaic, Lumine, and Scout came rushing in to stop its approach, but were blown away by a Rock Blast. Shuichi fell back to avoid one of the boulders, scooting away as the Ultra Beast stomped closer, a single leg raising high to crush him.

“Hope… use Flamethrower.”

Shuichi gaped in amazement as a column of fire shot over his head, the heat so intense he almost immediately started sweating. The enemy Stakataka dropped itself to the floor and tried to harden its defenses, but it wasn’t quick enough. It took the full brunt of the attack, its stone-gray body turning pinkish-orange as it absorbed the heat. 

“Good girl.”

With the threat of being roasted alive temporarily halted, Shuichi struggled to stand on his knees and turned to look behind him. Nagito stood in an almost nonchalant pose, as if he wasn’t currently in a dangerous situation. He was holding Hope in his arms, stroking her coat as a form of reward for her (surprisingly) powerful attack. Joy and his Carbink were at his feet.

“Nagito?” Shuichi squeaked, his voice wavering in shock.

“Hello Shuichi, it’s nice to see you again; although, I wish the circumstances were better.”

“What are you doing here!?”

“Makoto called the Kuzuryu Clan saying you needed our help in liberating Aether Paradise, so we jumped on our jet and arrived here— just in time, by the look of things.”

A different enemy Blacephalon launched its head at Shuichi, halting any conversation the two men were having.

“Merrick use Light Screen!” Nagito ordered.

His Carbink floated in front of Shuichi and threw up a glass-like shield that slightly warped and cracked under the force of the Blacephalon’s head but successfully deflected it. The Ultra Beast scooped its head off the floor but didn’t have time for another attack before it was pulled to the floor by a swirling mass that revealed itself to be a Spiritomb— specifically, Sonia’s Spiritomb.

 _They’re all here._ Shuichi almost felt like crying again as he looked across the chaotic battlefield and was able to pick out the familiar faces and Pokémon. 

Husker the Chesnaught used Spiky Shield to protect Hajime from an Aether employee’s Seismitoad. Akane and Nekomaru were fighting side by side with their Throh and Sawk, battling both humans and Pokémon without care. Ibuki’s Exploud blew away several Pokémon with its Hyper Voice. Mikan and Ryota were hanging back, protected by Chiaki and her Wigglytuff and Azumarill. A Tyrantrum came up behind them, roaring loudly and opening its jaws wide. Ryota shrieked, his Goomy panicking and unleashing an uncontrolled Dragonbreath directly into the Tyrantrum’s face. Tyrantrum bellowed and stumbled back only to be tackled from the side by Izuru’s Haxorus, who finished the fight with a sweeping Dragon Tail. 

Two Hitmontop were fiercely battling one another, their moves perfectly matching each other. One of them managed to land a hit on the second one, only for the second Hitmontop to suddenly dissolve into a pinkish mass, revealing it to be a Ditto. Hitmontop tried to hit Ditto with a Rolling Kick, but Ditto’s gelatinous body was too squishy, causing Hitmontop to slip and fall. A person who greatly resembled Ryota but was noticeably heavier, protectively stepped in front of Ditto so the Pokémon could reorient itself. Kazuichi was flanked by a Magnezone and two Magneton, the three Pokémon zapping Poipole and the larger stinger Ultra Beast out of the sky. Gundam’s small Electric Pokémon scurried across the floor, swarming a Barbarcle and unleashing their electric attacks in unison. The Barbarcle knocked the Pachirisu away and Mikan and her Chansey hurriedly rushed in, healing the small Pokémon and sending it back into battle.

A roar from overhead reminded Shuichi that Junko’s Mega Aerodactyl was still patrolling around Paradise. He looked up in time to fall back to the floor, dragging Nagito down with him, to escape the maw of the enraged Pokémon. Aerodactyl swooped back into the air after failing to grab its targets, a dark shape zooming after it and blasting fire at its tail and legs. Shuichi recognized the crescent shape from the coin he had been gifted a long time ago. It was Fuyuhiko’s Salamence, Mega-Evolved into Mega Salamence.

“Watch it,” Fuyuhiko himself helped Shuichi and Nagito back to their feet. He was wearing an outfit Shuichi had never seen him wear before. The yakuza leader was dressed in a pinstripe suit with a black fedora, a new eye patch with a yellow coiled dragon on it adorning his face.

“Stay alert,” Fuyuhiko warned Shuichi. “Some of the Aether employees are fighting for Junko to save Paradise, while others summoned some mettle and are fighting against her.”

“Makoto and some of my friends are trying to find any employees that are hiding,” Shuichi explained. “And Nagisa is trying to access the intercom system to speak with everyone in Paradise. We’ll either convince them to fight for us or to run for the docks.”

“You think that’ll work?” said Fuyuhiko.

“It doesn’t look like we have many options,” Nagito remarked. 

“Have you seen Junko anywhere?” Shuichi asked.

“We haven’t had time to do reconnaissance,” Fuyuhiko replied. “We jumped right into the battle, but I can offer you a solution.” He whistled sharply, his Salamence coming in for a landing, its huge, blood-red wings nearly knocking Shuichi over.

“Ride Salamence around the facility,” Fuyuhiko instructed. “He’ll keep you safe from Aerodactyl and his keen eyesight will find Junko if she’s exposed.”

Shuichi inwardly groaned as he timidly glanced at Salamence, the hulking dragon eyeing him like a chew toy, but didn’t make a move to snap at him. Instead, it waited patiently for Shuichi to clamber aboard, the poor detective tightly gripping Salamence’s slender neck.

“Fly!” Fuyuhiko ordered, giving Salamence a firm slap on the shoulder.

The Dragon-type lurched forward and uplifted like a jet plane, the whip of the wind burning Shuichi’s eyes. He was wanted to shut them to escape the pain but forced them to remain open. Salamence dipped to the side, giving Shuichi a wide view of the west deck. He was able to see the countless battles intertwining with one another and did spy a couple blond heads in the chaos, but they weren’t Junko. Salamence continued circling the west edge of Paradise, only for Mega Aerodactyl to dive-bomb them from above, its clawed feet spread wide in order to grab Salamence and Shuichi. The Dragon-type veered away, nearly tipping itself completely sideways while Aerodactyl plummeted past them. 

Shuichi tightened his legs more firmly against Salamence’s neck, his burned thigh painfully rubbing against its bandages. Salamence came back around and blasted a Flamethrower directly in Aerodactyl’s face, but the latter’s elemental type combination prevented too much damage from being dealt. Aerodactyl swung one of its wings, the sharp rocks growing out of its skin striking Salamence in the face. The dragon let out a bellow of rage and began purposefully targeting Aerodactyl as it tried to flee. Aerodactyl banked to the side, trying to fake out Salamence and disrupt its flight path. Salamence dove beneath Aerodactyl and shot upward right in front of it, spooking the Pokémon badly enough that it folded its wings and began to plunge out of the sky. Aerodactyl snapped its wings open to try and rescue itself, but the thermal it caught was too powerful, sending it crashing directly into the side of Paradise.

Aether Paradise: Living Quarters

Makoto stepped off the elevator platform, immediately on high alert. The halls of the living quarters were eerily empty, the footsteps of Makoto and his companions echoing off the walls. Several of the doors were hanging open, as if the occupants had fled their rooms in a panic. Various group members checked these open doors, investigating the rooms to see if anyone was hiding inside, while other tested the doors that were shut, some of which were locked and others that weren’t. 

“Hello?” Yuta rapped his knuckles against one of the locked doors. “Is anyone in there? We’re allies of the International Police; we’ve come to bring you to safety.”

There were no sounds from inside the room, so he assumed it was empty. Monophanie and Kiyo sent their Nihilego and Banette phasing through the walls, trying to find anyone who may have barricaded themselves in and were too frightened to announce their presence. Any investigating was halted when the lights in the hall suddenly cut out. Windows prevented the halls from turning completely black, but they were dyed a sinister orange from the light of the setting sun. Tsumugi and Monophanie squeaked in fear and crowded together. A shudder of terror washed over them; something was coming at them.

Mega Gengar emerged from a black shadow creeping across the floor, its wide, intimidating grin shining through the dim light. Kirumi’s Gardevoir hastily stepped in front of everyone, delivering a Psyshock attack to drive the Ghost-type back. Monodam’s Gogoat stomped its hooves down in a Bulldoze attack, rocking the hallway and nearly throwing everyone off their feet. Angie almost tipped over but grabbed onto Tapu Lele.

“Don’t do that!” Makoto shouted. “You’ll bring the building down!”

Monodam recoiled at being yelled at and called Gogoat back. Gengar came back with a Shadow Punch, Gardevoir throwing up a Reflect that was almost instantly broken through. She took the full brunt of the attack and was thrown back, Kirumi catching her before she slam into the floor. Gengar tried to deliver another Shadow Punch, but Tapu Fini intercepted the strike by retracting into her shell and ramming into the Pokémon's fist. Banette and Nihilego phased back through the wall, now accompanied by Himiko’s Mismagius, who it appeared had been in the vicinity during her search for Junko. Kiyo Mega-Evolved his Banette, who leered at Mega Gengar despite the size difference. Banette sank into the floor and attempted to use Shadow Sneak, but Gengar pounded a fist into the shadow and forcefully pulled Banette up. Mismagius fired a Shadow Ball into its face, Gengar shrieking and letting go of Banette. 

Gardevoir heaved herself to her feet with her trainer’s help, glaring hatefully at Mega Gengar. Tsumugi ordered everyone to hold their breath as her Vileplume released a Stun Spore. The yellow spores settled on Gengar, paralyzing its body. Gardevoir used a powerful Psychic attack to grab Gengar and send it flying backward the entire length of the hall, crashing into the wall at the end.

Kiyo reached out to congratulate Kirumi and Gardevoir, but he felt the lightest prickle of the hairs on the back of his neck. His eye shifted to the furthest corner of his socket, spying what he decreed was the greatest threat in his peripheral vision. A glass-like tentacle was reaching out, attempting to grab Kirumi’s neck. He moved so quickly he didn’t even remember making the motion with his arm, only the result, which was his glove-covered hand tightly gripping the tentacle. The enemy Nihilego let out a wavering cry, drawing everyone’s attention and causing them to flee a short distance. Kiyo tightened his grip further, effectively crushing the tentacle and causing the Nihilego’s cry to increase in pitch. 

Another Nihilego phased in from thin air, reaching for Kiyo with the intent of injecting him with neurotoxins. Monophanie’s Nihilego came rushing in, wrapping her own tentacles around the attacking Nihilego. Kiyo readjusted his grip, grabbing as many of the enemy Nihilego’s tentacles in his two hands as he could.

“You will not poison my thoughts again,” he growled, violently throwing the Ultra Beast away.

The two enemy Nihilego regrouped, both threateningly waving their tentacles and letting out those strange cries. Both appeared as if they were about to rush their enemies, but a deafening roar from the other side of the wall distracted them. Mega Aerodactyl came crashing through the wall, crushing the Nihilego with its body weight and debris. Its head reared, glaring at its new targets gaping in confusion at its sudden appearance. Its jaws opened, head shooting forward to grab whoever was closest. Ryoma took advantage of his short stature and ducked under Aerodactyl’s snapping jaws, swinging his racket with all his strength into the underside of the Pokémon’s neck. Aerodactyl choked and gasped as its windpipe temporarily swelled shut from the strike. It thrashed its entire body, widening the hole it had created from the crash and slipping out of the building, plummeting to the deck far below.

Everyone ran to the hole, fearfully glancing down to make sure it was truly out of the battle. A dark shadow passed over the cavernous hole, causing everyone to jump back. Makoto released Pidgeot from her Pokéball and jumped on her back.

“It’s too dangerous up here; all of you, head down to the medical wing!” Makoto ordered. “Victini, go with them.”

His shoulder felt empty without Victini sitting there, but he wasn't going to risk the Pokémon's safety. He would be too exposed while Makoto was in flight. If he were knocked off, his twin tails would allow him to fly, but there was still the risk of an enemy hitting him since he wasn't the quickest flyer. Although reluctant, Victini left Makoto and joined the others.

*

Salamence circled the facility, Shuichi vainly trying to see any sign of Junko. The dragon flew lower as it began a pass over the north deck, the mansion at the northmost point of the floating island still standing tall and proud. Shuichi’s head snapped in the opposite direction when he heard the whooshing sound indicating another flying creature was approaching him.

Makoto returned the look of astonishment, obviously not expecting the dark shadow flying around the facility to be Shuichi on the back of a Mega Salamence. Still, both young men breathed a sigh of relief that neither was a threat. Shuichi turned his attention back to the north deck, specifically to the mansion since it was noticeable landmark.

Then he saw her.

Just as Mukuro had mentioned, Junko made no effort to hide herself. After all, in her mind, why would she feel the need to? She visibly smirked at Shuichi, the expression clear despite the distance between them. She had shed her lab coat, revealing the PowerLock on her right arm and a different item clutched in her left hand. Shuichi couldn’t tell exactly what it was, but given its size, he assumed it was a remote of some sort.

 _I can’t do this attack on my own,_ especially since he had left his Pokémon behind to support everyone else. Although reluctantly, he signaled for Salamence to return to the east and west decks.

*Aether Paradise: Reception Area*

“Stop pulling wires!” Nagisa shouted, yanking Miu’s arms away from the tangle of cables that had spilled out from the machine supporting the intercom system at the desk.

“Don’t interrupt my thought process!” Miu yelled back, pulling her arm free and nearly hitting Flaaffy’s tail orb, which she was using to light up the area behind the desk.

“There is a method in her madness,” Keebo admitted. “Just let her do what she does—,”

“Found it!” Miu announced, proudly holding up a single wire that didn’t look any different from all the others but was apparently exactly what she was looking for. 

Using her teeth, she ripped open the rubber casing of the wire and pulled the metal wiring out. She twisted the thin filaments with that of another cable, then shot up and pressed the button of the microphone. An audible squeak then a constant humming came from the speaker mounted in the corner of the reception area.

“Ask and ye shall receive, now grovel at my feet!” she demanded.

“Not happening,” Nagisa snapped, grabbing the microphone.

A shudder in the floor stopped him from making an announcement over the intercom. Nagisa, Keebo, Gonta, and Miu all looked to the doorway leading to the east and west decks, freezing in terror as Mega Tyranitar trudged its way into the reception area. Miu attempted to hide by ducking under the desk, but the enemy Pokémon had already seen them and began to charge. Octillery launched himself from Lairon’s back and latched itself around Tyranitar’s face. The Pokémon thrashed around, its arms too short to extricate the octopus Pokémon from its head. Gonta's Heracross and Pinsir each grabbed one of Mega Tyranitar's legs, keeping it firmly in place.

“Lairon use Iron Head!” Keebo ordered.

Lairon hurtled forward, his armor-covered head shining with energy as he rammed his head directly into Tyranitar’s stomach. The force of the attack pushed Tyranitar back but also knocked Octillery off its head. To give it some credit, Tyranitar recovered quickly and swung its tail to hit Lairon with a Brutal Swing attack, striking Heracross and Pinsir in the same move. With its enemies reeling, Tyranitar rushed the desk once more, its claws glowing with a Dragon Claw attack. Gonta's Vespiquen grabbed its arm in her hands, using raw strength to keep the Tyranitar from delivering the blow while Scyther tried to cut through the Pokémon's thick armor with his blades.

“Hyper Beam!”

The beam of pure energy hit Tyranitar and threw it across the room, Vespiquen and Scyther barely dodging the attack. Nagisa and Keebo peered over the desk, breathing sighs of relief as Chisa and the group she had led to the secret labs came running from the just-arrived elevator platform, her Audino Mega-Evolved into Mega Audino. Tyranitar snarled and planted its stance, facing off against Audino.

“Watchog use Confuse Ray!” Kiyotaka instructed. 

Tyranitar lost all semblance of focus as confusion fell upon it, leaving it a stumbling, lurching mess. The pause in the battle gave Audino enough time to recharge from her Hyper Beam attack. Under Chisa’s direction, she unleashed a powerful Dazzling Gleam that washed over Tyranitar, shaking it from its confused status but also dealing an immense amount of damage. However, it also had great defense stats and managed to recover without faltering. Its tail lit up to deliver another Brutal Swing, but since Mega Audino was part Fairy-type, the Dark-type attack wouldn’t deal much damane. Instead, Tyranitar aimed for Kiyotaka and Chihiro, only for Mondo to physically grab the tail with his bare hands.

“Fuck off, you glorified hunk of rock!” he shouted, his feet sliding along the floor as Tyranitar tried to pull its tail free.

A Hydro Pump struck Mega Tyranitar directly, blasting it off its feet and hurling it across the reception area, hitting the closed metal door leading to the north desk so violently it crashed right through the metal. Mega Tyranitar lay prone on the other side of the hole in the door, the rainbow-like aura of Mega Evolution covering its body then fading, leaving an unconscious Tyranitar.

“Looks like we showed up just in time.” Two men, accompanied by a Blastoise, Skarmory, Hitmonchan, and Primeape, strode across the floor of the reception area from the door leading from the west and east decks. The silver-haired one was wielding a sword while the other was tightening some bandages around his fists.

“Kyosuke! Juzo!” Chisa happily greeted them. “How nice to see you.”

“You should have contacted us earlier,” said Kyosuke. “Things have gotten way out of hand.”

“We were doing just fine on our own! Weren’t we, kids?” Chisa turned to the others, clearly hinting she needed their support.

“Thank fuck, you’re here!” Miu exclaimed, popping up from behind the desk.

“Whoa.” Shuichi stepped into the reception area, his cheeks scored pink from wind burn. He shied away when Kyosuke and Juzo both side-eyed him, but Mosaic, who was marching beside him with Lumine and Scout, returned the look full-glare.

“So that’s the Beast Killer,” Juzo muttered.

“Shuichi!” Nagisa drew the young detective’s attention. “We got the intercom working!”

“You mean _I_ got the intercom working!” Miu snapped.

“What should we say?” Shuichi wondered, taking the microphone into his hand. 

He didn’t know what words would have the impact needed to turn the tides. Should they plead for the Aether employees to fight in favor of the International Officers and their allies, or should they convince the people of Ultra Megalopolis to surrender? He reached into his messenger bag, his fingers wrapping around the black shard of Necrozma’s body.

“People of Ultra Megalopolis,” he spoke into the microphone, his voice echoing across all of Aether Paradise. “I know what you’ve suffered; I’ve been to your world, but this needs to stop. Junko will not give you the salvation you want, but I can promise you this: Necrozma is _gone_.”

Maybe that wasn’t the entire truth, since it was still alive when Shuichi let Necrozma go free, but he doubted it would return to a place it had been so severely beaten. In fact, he hoped it would drag itself to an empty world with no inhabitants, where it could live in peace and no one would disturb it and vice versa.

“By the power of the Beast Killer, Necrozma is defeated. It will not come back to harm you. Please, this needs to stop. All of this.”

Shuichi placed the microphone on the desk and hurriedly returned to the doorway leading to west and east decks. His words must have had enough of an impact for everyone to pause, but he knew they wouldn’t be enough. He held out the shard of Necrozma, proof of his victory over the Pillager of Light.

That was enough.

The people of Ultra Megalopolis, recognizable by their suits, dropped to their knees and began sobbing. Shuichi’s heart twisted in sympathy; they had suffered so much, and they were only here because they had run out of options. Now that he showed them evidence of his victory, they finally realized they could stop fighting.

“People of Ultra Megalopolis,” Nagisa voice rang out from the intercom system. “ _My_ people, I am begging you… _go home_."

*

Kyoko paused as she watched Shuichi hold up the shard of Necrozma. It was easy to see even from this distance, as the piece of black crystal absorbed all light that fell upon it. The people of Ultra Megalopolis dropped to their knees, several sobbing in relief. All the fight had left them, leaving them empty husks. The Ultra Beasts also sensed their trainers’ loss of the will to fight and surrendered themselves. 

She made a grave mistake in allowing herself to drop her guard in a battle zone. Even though most of their opponents had surrendered, not all were willing to. Mega Medicham’s fist whistled just past her head, causing her to flinch. Junko’s four Pokémon would no doubt continue fighting if it was to release them from the pain of forced Mega Evolution. Mega Medicham tried to deliver another punch, but Ursaring deftly caught it, grunting as he took damage from the strike. 

Makoto saw the predicament Kyoko was in and ordered Pidgeot to dive-bomb Mega Medicham. Pidgeot’s talons dug into Medicham’s body, briefly lifting the Pokémon off the deck, but an elbow jab forced the bird Pokémon to drop her prey. Pidgeot frantically beat her wings, trying to land so she could hopefully pick up Kyoko and lift her out of immediate danger. Medicham threw another punch toward Kyoko, who dodged the strike but knew she wouldn’t be able to match up against a Pokémon, let alone a Mega-Evolved one. 

Makoto did _not_ fall of Pidgeot’s back, he _jumped off_ thank you very much! And he totally meant to fall directly on top of Medicham; that wasn’t a mistake. After all, how else would he take out a Mega Pokémon by himself? To the end of his days, he would insist everything that happened in those few seconds were on purpose, when, in reality, the only thing he planned was the shoulder lock he placed on Medicham. The Pokémon fought against his hold and nearly attained its freedom, only for a hulking Garchomp to come charging over, seizing Mechicham’s head in its jaws and biting down, ending the battle with its Crunch attack. 

Kyoko frowned at the appearance of the Garchomp and glanced to her side as a man quickly approached her. “I’m one of your top agents of the Bureau and you didn’t think I had this situation handled?” 

“Kyoko,” Makoto said cautiously, releasing the unconscious Medicham and gently touching Kyoko’s shoulder, “we called for help, remember?” 

“You may be one of my top agents, but you’re also my daughter who was stolen from me twenty-five years ago,” Jin Kirigiri stated, standing before his two agents. 

“If you thought he wouldn’t get involved, you’re quite the fool,” Koichi Kizakura, Jin’s long-time partner in the Bureau, swaggered over to them, probably buzzed on whatever was in that flask of his. 

“Now isn’t the time!” Kyoko scolded the both of them. 

“Precisely,” Jin agreed, looking toward the main building of Aether Paradise, where Shuichi was still standing with the shard of Necrozma.

* 

A sudden explosion rocked the entire floating island. Shuichi stumbled and dropped the black crystal, frantically looking around to see if the end had come and Junko was blowing up the entire facility. The island shuddered but no other explosions went off, indicating the facility was safe for now, but not for long.

“What was that!?” Kaede came running up to Shuichi. 

“I found Junko,” he revealed, “and she had some sort of remote. I think it’s her fail-safe.” 

“That must have been a warning,” Mukuro informed them. “She must have heard your message and was letting us know what she’s capable of.” 

“We need to rush her,” said Shuichi. “She’s standing in front of the mansion. You were right; she didn’t bother trying to hide.” 

Kyosuke, Juzo, and Chisa were standing in front of the punched-through door leading to the north deck. Both men looked as if they were arguing over whether to rush through while Chisa was scolding them about being hot-headed. Shuichi looked through the gaping hole in the door, realizing the north deck was covered in a thick cloud of dust and particles. If he couldn’t see through the cloud, then neither could Junko. Kyosuke and Juzo’s argument had some merit; if they were to rush her, now would be the best time. He had to agree with them. 

“If you’re going to act, do it now!” Mukuro shouted, silencing the trio of quarreling officers. 

“My thoughts exactly,” Shuichi agreed. 

Mosaic planted himself directly in front of the hole in the door, eyeing the unconscious form of Tyranitar, still lying on the floor directly outside the door. Shuichi climbed on Mosaic’s back, readjusting his sitting position so he wouldn’t rub his burned thigh. 

“Please don’t do what I think you’re about to do,” Jiro begged. “I won’t let you go out there alone.” 

“Who said he was going alone?” Shuichi turned his head to see Kokichi, riding on Silver’s back, was now beside him. “I’ll be with him every step!” 

Shuichi saw Kokichi palm a Pokéball in his hand and was about to question the latter about it, but Mosaic’s growling drew his attention to the north deck. Two dark shapes were darting through the cloud. Mosaic leapt slightly, nearly knocking Shuichi off his back. Junko’s Pheromosa and Buzzwole came sprinting out of the cloud, the former pulling back a fist and the latter rearing one leg up. Neither managed to land their intended hits. Nebby and Lunala intercepted the Ultra Beasts without missing a beat. Nebby slammed Buzzwole to the floor with only his front paws, pressing down on the struggling Ultra Beast with his full body weight. Lunala stopped Pheromosa in its tracks with a powerful Air Slash. 

With Junko’s last defenders preoccupied, Mosaic and Silver galloped into the cloud. Shuichi squinted to try and keep the particles from stinging his eyes. Despite settling slightly, the cloud was still thick; he could barely see Silver and Kokichi beside him. He didn’t know how much of the north deck the cloud covered but could only hope Junko wouldn’t see their approach. They emerged from the cloud at a dead sprint; in fact, he wasn’t sure if there was anything in this world that could make Mosaic stop running for his target. Junko’s head snapped toward them, a wide grin splitting her burned and splotched face. She tightly clutched the remote in her left hand, her thumb dancing above the buttons, as if she were taunting them that she could end everything in one half-second. Then her gaze drifted up. 

Shuichi glanced over his shoulder and immediately panicked, losing his grip on Mosaic’s ruff and sliding down the Silvally’s side, crumpling into a heap while Mosaic continued on his path. Necrozma held its arms out as if it were flexing its body— its whole and un-shattered body. How had it recovered so quickly? How had it followed them? Would the people of Ultra Megalopolis feel betrayed? Would they begin attacking since Shuichi lied? 

Would Shuichi _not_ fall for this trick at some point? 

Junko’s grin became one of sure victory, loosening her grip on the remote so she could free up her thumb, index, and middle finger to activate the PowerLock. From her point of view, Necrozma had returned and she had access to her ultimate weapon once more. Once she took control of it, it would steal the light of this world and her plan would come to fruition. 

Necrozma disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a grinning Jester in its place. Junko realized too late she had been tricked. Her eyes widened in a panic, glancing at Mosaic as the Silvally leapt toward her, talons flashing, mouth open so he could scream all his rage at her. She fumbled for the remote, desperately trying to activate her failsafe. If she wasn’t going to win, she was going to make sure her enemies lost as well. 

Mosaic closed his jaws around Junko’s left arm, directly above her wrist. He clamped down, the serrated edges of his beak-like mouth sawing through her skin. Shuichi heard the ripping and tearing of skin, muscles, and bone as Mosaic pressed one insectoid foot against Junko’s side and pulled at her arm. In an arc of spraying blood, Mosaic threw his head back with Junko’s dismembered left forearm held tightly in his jaws, like a trophy. 

The remote flew from the dead fingers, clattering against the floor.


	25. The Shards of Necrozma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, a battle does need to be won through fighting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Solgaleo (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Bisharp, Marowak, Togekiss  
> Angie Yonaga: Ribombee, Smeargle, Whimsicott, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Decidueye, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roserade (Rugosa), Zoroark (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Aegislash, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Luxray, Lairon  
> Tenko Chabashira: Blaziken, Mienshao  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Mismagius, Torracat, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Vileplume, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy), Carbink (Merrick)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Chiaki Nanami: Wigglytuff, Azumarill  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Ibuki Mioda: Kricketune, Exploud  
> Sonia Nevermind: Escavalier (x2), Spiritomb  
> Gundam Tanaka: Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, Dedenne  
> Mikan Tsumiki: Chansey  
> Ryota Mitarai: Goomy  
> Teruteru Hanamura: Paras, Ambipom  
> Kazuichi Soda: Magnezone, Magneton (x2)  
> Ultimate Imposter: Ditto  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Kyosuke Munakata: Blastoise, Skarmory  
> Juzo Sakakura: Primeape, Hitmonchan  
> Jin Kirigiri: Garchomp  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc, Beartic, Ursaring  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini, Pidgeot, Raichu  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Jangmo-o (Jingles), Eevee (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo  
> Ace: Serperior

### 

Part 3: The Blinding One

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Chapter 25: The Shards of Necrozma 

The first sound that reached Shuichi’s ears, which had plugged up from shell-shock, was Junko’s screams of pain. She reeled back, staring at the stump where her left hand used to be, her mouth agape in shock but the corners of her lips perked up the slightest bit as her screams devolved into feverish giggling and howls, as if this were the funniest thing she had ever seen. Blood spurted from the severed arteries and filled the immediate air with the rich scent of copper. Shuichi swallowed, trying to keep the nausea bubbling up his esophagus from spraying across the floor. Junko made no effort to stem the bleeding, her skin gradually becoming more pallid as the crimson puddles grew larger.

“I…” Kokichi had slid off Silver’s back and was sitting motionless on the floor not too far from where Shuichi had fallen off Mosaic. “I don’t know… what to do in this situation.”

Shuichi knew what to do based on logic alone: they had to bind the wound and create a tourniquet of some sort to prevent Junko from bleeding out. But this wasn’t anything like Izuru’s leg wound; he still had the leg, it hadn’t been torn off. Junko giggled continuously until she ran out of breath, her upper body tipped forward and she stumbled to keep her balance, her right hand finally gripping just above the wound and squeezing tightly. She began gasping for air, her uncontrolled laughter taking all breath away.

“Oh my God!” 

Shuichi’s head snapped when he heard the exclamation behind him. The dust cloud from the bomb explosion had finally cleared and the rest of his allies had emerged from the reception area. His friends, the Kuzuryu Clan, and the International Officers were at the front of the crowd, the Sea Folk, Aether Employees, Keala family members, and people of Ultra Megalopolis meandering near the back, almost afraid to come closer. Even Chisa, Juzo, and Kyosuke, no doubt high-ranking, experienced officers of the International Bureau who must have seen and experienced countless dangerous situations, were stunned silent by the sight of Junko’s dismemberment.

Seeing the Keala family members and the people of Ultra Megalopolis standing close together was a strange juxtaposition. The former had skin tanned gold by the light of the sun, wearing loose-fitting outfits to disperse excess heat, and several went barefoot. In comparison, the latter had skin so pale it almost looked blue, wore their skin-tight suits and helmets with visors to protect their sensitive eyes from the sunlight, and their uniform boots gave them a very militant appearance.

Mosaic tossed his head and threw Junko’s arm away, as if it were now vile trash. It landed on the deck with a wet slapping sound. Shuichi squeaked and scrambled away from the limb, not caring how timidly the act appeared. Masculinity be damned; he didn’t want to go anywhere near that arm!

“What madness…” Tapu Koko’s mental voice whispered in Shuichi’s head. Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu both looked worse for wear from the battling.

“I’ve never seen such despair,” Nagito mumbled, staring wide-eyed at Junko’s shuddering figure.

“Stop looking!” Hajime ordered, covering his husband’s eyes with one hand. “You’ll get ideas!”

“Will someone shut that bitch up!?” Fuyuhiko complained, Junko’s laughter reaching an ear-piercing pitch.

“Gladly.” Juzo strode across the short distance and punched Junko in the face, knocking her unconscious in a single strike. She fell like a sack of rocks, another crimson puddle steadily growing from where her stump contacted the floor.

“What are you doing!?” Mikan shrieked. “She’s bleeding out!”

“But now it’s easier to think without her laughing,” Juzo replied nonchalantly. 

A stampede of footsteps pushing through the crowd, drew the attention of those at the front. Mondo and Kiyotaka whirled around to face whoever had decided the fighting wasn’t over, only to see Angie, Kirumi, and Kiyo running up, their arms full of medical supplies.

“Where did you get those?” Chihiro asked.

“Makoto sent us to the medical wing to hide,” Angie explained. “Tapu Bulu contacted Tapu Lele telepathically and told us about Junko’s injury.”

Despite her timid nature, Mikan was clearly in her element when it came to medical care. She quickly rushed to Junko’s side, Kirumi offering to help by sorting through what supplies had been grabbed and handing Mikan the items she asked for. With steady-handed precision, Mikan injected Junko with some morphine, bound the stump in bandages, and tied some rubber tubing just below Junko’s elbow as a tourniquet.

“I think I have her stabilized, but she’ll need a blood transfusion to ensure her survival,” Mikan reported.

“We definitely want her to survive,” Mukuro growled. “She doesn’t get to take the easy way out.”

Mosaic gently picked up the remote, taking care not to trigger any of the buttons. He walked over to Shuichi and deposited the item in his trainer’s hand, standing back and looking pleased with himself. The edges of his beak-like mouth were spattered with blood and Shuichi was thankful he wasn’t licking it off. The last thing he needed was nightmares of Mosaic swallowing body parts whole.

“I’ll take that,” Kyoko held out her hand. Shuichi gladly surrendered the remote, not wanting that much power or responsibility. He absentmindedly wiped his hand on the chest of his suit, just in case any of Junko’s blood had gotten on his hand during his handling of the remote.

“And just to let you know,” Kyoko continued speaking as she opened the back panel on the remote’s chassis and casually ripped the wires out. “If she does end up dying, we still won’t hold Mosaic responsible.”

“Yeah,” Miu scoffed sarcastically, “there was a lot goin’ on and no one can say for sure Mosaic ripped her fucking arm off. Maybe it fell off like a Slowpoke tail.”

“Slowpoke don’t shed their tails,” Rantaro informed her.

Juzo and Kyosuke each grabbed Junko by the upper arms and heaved her to a standing position, her unconscious body swaying dangerously. Jin stepped up to Junko and removed the PowerLock from her right forearm, taking a moment to admire the mechanism before handing it off to Koichi, who didn’t examine it with nearly the same amount of enthusiasm. Jin secured a pair of restraints around Junko’s ankles, not bothering was handcuffs or arm restraints just yet, especially since Junko would be heading directly to the medical wing. 

“Junko Enoshima,” Koichi spoke with a hint of exasperation, like this entire situation was a minor annoyance to him. “For crimes against humanity and Pokémon-kind so numerous I don’t feel like listing them right now, you are under arrest. I will read you your rights once you regain consciousness.”

With that, Juzo and Kyosuke dragged Junko away, the heels of her shoes creating red streaks on the floor as she was hauled through one of the blood puddles. The crowd split to let them through, not out politeness but more like no one wanted to be near Junko than what was necessary. Shuichi watched them leave, feeling oddly empty. That woman had been the instigator behind everything that had happened to him in the past six months, and now she was finally gone.

There was a hollow feeling of “now what?” spreading among everyone. Where did things go from here? It was almost as if they had lost all purpose and focus once Junko was detained. Mukuro, in particular, looked more bewildered than anyone. She had dedicated herself to supporting Junko and her pursuits. When her sister betrayed her, she found new purpose in saving Mosaic and the Cosmog and bringing Junko down. Now, her task was complete, and she didn’t have a purpose anymore.

“Shuichi!” Kaede threw her arms around Shuichi and hugged him tightly. “You did it! It’s over!”

Her cheerfulness broke through the haze of uncertainty. Everyone relaxed and began smiling, some even laughing out of relief. Kaito wrapped Maki into a tight hug, swinging her around joyfully while she attempted to punch him in the ribs to make him let go. Nebby bounded around them like an excited Lillipup, taking care not to step on anyone. Kiyo and Kirumi were also tightly hugging each other, the former finally removing the chemical gloves. Angie was leading Tsmugi, Tenko, and Himiko in some joyous jumping, Gonta happily joining them. Ryota looked so relieved he was about to pass out, supported by the individual who looked like him. Kyoko quickly approached him, initiating a conversation in low voices.

_Do they know each other?_ Shuichi wondered. 

He didn’t know Ryota very well, only that the young man was a member of the Kuzuryu Clan. Chihiro said they were dear allies, and the clan members were obviously on-call in cases of dire need, but Kyoko had never shown any favoritism towards any of the clan members, either in-person or in conversation. Ryota looked happy to see her and was speaking an animatedly as Shuichi had ever seen him behave, so they must share some sort of personal history. He was even more shocked when Ryota wrapped his arms around Kyoko and tightly hugged her, a display of affection Kyoko returned without a second thought.

“How you feelin’, sidekick!?” Kaito clapped Shuichi firmly on the back, spooking him from his internal thoughts.

“I think my emotions will catch up eventually,” Shuichi admitted. “Right now, I’m not feeling much.”

“It’s probably the shock,” Maki commented.

The crimson puddles began to fade to a murky brown, not from the exposure to the air, but because the sun was finally beginning to sink beyond the horizon. The shadows of everyone crowded on the north deck stretched taller and merged together until the light was finally weak enough, and they vanished. There was no plan about what to do next; eventually, everyone migrated back indoors. It was a gradual shift and no words were spoken as the elevator repeatedly moved everyone up to the living quarters and rooms were claimed at random.

As the moon rose high, its light blooming over the islands, sleep fell across Aether Paradise.

*

Shuichi awoke from the most fitful sleep he’d ever had still as tired as he’d ever felt. Bright sunlight was streaming through the window of the room he had claimed last night and shared with Rantaro, Kaito, and Kokichi, the latter two of whom were still fast asleep. He wasn’t surprised to see Rantaro had already awoken and left to start the day, even after everything that happened yesterday. Shuichi groaned and turned over, so he was facing the wall. There were two beds in the room, but Kaito was sleeping on the couch while Kokichi and Rantaro had slept in the other bed. Lumine, Scout, and Mosaic were crowded on the same bed as Shuichi, refusing to be more than five feet away from him.

The door creaked slightly, and Shuichi heard soft footsteps stepping on the carpet. Given that Junko was in the medical wing for now, maybe he should feel a little more on edge about staying in Paradise. Given her behavior, it wouldn’t surprise him if she managed to escape her confinement in her condition. He cracked one eye open, staring tiredly at the sunbeams through the blinds reflecting on the wall. A hand entered his line of sight, waving a slice of Pecha berry under his nose. The fragrant scent made his mouth water, especially since everyone went straight to bed last night without eating. He felt the bed shift as one of his Pokémon (probably Mosaic) took notice of whoever was leaning over him and trying to tempt him awake with fruit.

Shuichi let out a more vocal groan and grabbed the Pecha slice in one hand. He pushed himself into a sitting position and used his free hand to rub at his eyes. The stranger was Rantaro, clutching a bowl filled with sliced berries. He smiled at Shuichi and nodded as a way of saying “good morning” before moving to Kokichi in the other bed and tempting him awake as well. Shuichi bit into the Pecha slice, scrambling to keep the juices from dripping down his chin. Mosaic, Lumine, and Scout lifted their heads and watched Shuichi eat the fruit slice, visibly swallowing once he popped the last bit into his mouth.

“I guess we should head down to get them some Pokémon food,” Kaito conceded, yawning loudly midway through his statement. He stretched his arms over his head, his back audibly popping several times, and shoved the entire half of an Oran berry Rantaro gave him in his mouth.

Kokichi grumbled and complained as he swung his legs to the floor and heaved himself up. He stumbled to the bathroom and slammed the door loudly, either too tired to be gentle or purposefully wanting to make as much noise as he could.

“Rise and shine!” Rantaro beamed brightly at Shuichi and Kaito.

“How can you be so awake this early?” Shuichi griped, rubbing his eyes again.

“Early? It’s ten in the morning. You all have been asleep for longer than twelve hours.”

“Then why am I still so tired?”

“I can’t answer that for you,” Rantaro shook his head, biting a slice of Wepear in half and wincing at the sour taste.

Shuichi struggled to get out of bed. Normally, he would feel embarrassed about being around the others in nothing but his boxers, but he found he couldn’t bring himself to care. His duffel bag full of clothes was still at the Altar of the Sunne, but he had managed to pack one change of clothes in his messenger bag when they left for Melemele Island. It felt nice to be back in his comfortable clothes, although he was sure someone would raise a fuss about him wearing black again. Or, maybe Miu would relax since she had claimed bad things always happened when he wore white.

They waited for Kaito and Kokichi to finish getting ready and ventured to the cafeteria together. Apparently, Rantaro had been one of the first to awaken and wandered down there looking for breakfast. He and the few others found they didn’t have the time or ingredients to fix a large, diverse breakfast for everyone, and settled for sliced fruit, of which Paradise had plenty. They had to choose their path to the elevator carefully, since the gaping hole Mega Aerodactyl had created yesterday was a clear and dangerous obstacle.

Entering the cafeteria was almost like stepping into another world. After witnessing the broken spirits of the employees, seeing them so bright and cheery, mingling with Shuichi’s friends and other allies, was like a breath of fresh air. They noticed him enter, his Pokémon tightly flanking him, and the cafeteria erupted into cheers and applause. Strangers surrounded him, showering him with congratulations and thanks. Shuichi took a step back, astonished by everyone’s reaction to him. After all, he didn’t succeed in killing Necrozma and Mosaic was technically the one who defeated Junko.

Kaito was able to convince everyone to back off, either through shoving or shouting, and protectively guided Shuichi to a table near the windows. Jiro and Kaede hastily made enough room for Shuichi to sit down, forming a barrier around him so he could relax without worrying about the hundreds of strangers around him.

“Were we the last ones awake?” he asked, looking around and picking out the familiar faces.

“Himiko’s not technically ‘up’ yet,” Angie answered, pointing to the sleeping girl’s upper half currently sprawled on the table.

“Himiko doesn’t count,” Shuichi retorted. 

Like Rantaro’s bowl, there was a large basket of sliced and whole fruit for the table’s occupants to browse from. Shuichi picked one out at random and hastily bit into it. Everyone else at the table was engaging in conversation and he didn’t have much to say at the moment, choosing to use the fruit as an excuse not to talk. He did look around and spied a couple employees doling out bowls of Pokémon food. Satisfied that his Pokémon would be fed as well, he decided to relax and tune into the conversation, which was, thankfully, about an old Alolan story and not about what occurred yesterday.

“Well, it looks like the last of our troop has arrived.” Shuichi turned to see Kyoko and Makoto were standing behind him, the former looking the most cheerful he had ever seen her.

“Allow me to be the first to commend you for your brave actions, Shuichi Saihara,” Makoto held out his hand and Shuichi met his grip with a firm shake. “I wanted to do that before Director Kirigiri came over.”

“Why?” Shuichi questioned.

“Because he gets to do it all the time,” Kyoko answered. “He only showed up for the climax this time. We— and I include Taka, Mondo, Chihiro, and Officer Yukizome in that ‘we’— were the ones who helped you pull this off, not him.”

As if them mentioning him was some cosmic cue, Jin Kirigiri approached the table. His face looked naturally stern and Shuichi couldn’t help but recoil briefly. Jin must have noticed, because his brow and mouth visibly softened, although the former was quirked slightly in confusion. Perhaps, he had assumed someone who had gone through what Shuichi had gone through would be a little more… bold. 

“Shuichi Saihara?”

“Y-yes sir?” Shuichi responded.

“I am Jin Kirigiri, Director of the International Bureau. On behalf of all the International Officers, I would like to express my gratitude towards your courageous acts. I have only seen such bravery in a non-officer once before.” He noticeably glanced in Kyoko and Makoto’s direction, but Shuichi couldn’t discern which of them he was referring to. 

“I would also like to thank all of your friends as well,” Jin addressed the surrounding tables. “Despite no proper training, all of you stayed by Shuichi’s side through a series of trials I would not have asked any of my officers to face alone. I admire your courage— every one of you.”

“Finally, a little recognition!” Miu exclaimed. 

Jin appeared satisfied that his gratitude had been expressed. He left them to continue their conversations, Kyoko and Makoto snagging some empty chairs at a nearby table. Shuichi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Mukuro join as well. He had worried about her before falling asleep last night. Confronting her sister, especially in the condition Junko had been in, must not have been easy for her mental state. She looked okay, but he couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling on the inside. She wasn’t smiling, but that could just be because she was tired.

“Oh, before I forget,” Mukuro reached into a small bag she was wearing across her shoulders and pulled out the black crystal shard of Necrozma. “This is yours.”

She tossed it underhanded across the table, Shuichi barely managing to catch it. It wasn’t as jagged and sharp as other shards he had seen on the streets of Ultra Megalopolis, but it was still the last thing he wanted lobbed at him. He held it in both hands, the crystal absorbing all light yet reflecting his expression back at him. He remembered dropping it when the bomb went off and shook Paradise; Mukuro must have picked it up for him at some point after. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to keep it. It was a trophy, proof of his victory over Necrozma, but the memories of what he inflicted on that creature were too painful.

“I don’t think I can keep this,” he admitted.

“Can I have it?” Kiyo asked a little too eagerly. “That would be the perfect artifact to display in the Alola Wing of the museum.”

“Sure,” Shuichi agreed, stretching his arm to hand the crystal off, but Kaede intercepted it.

“Shuichi, are you sure you want to get rid of it so readily? I mean, it’s proof of your victory.”

“It’s a victory I’m not proud to call my own,” he replied. “Kiyo, put it in the museum so people can know the story of the Pillager of Light. Keep me out of it though, okay?”

“…Okay,” Kiyo conceded, but the pause and the glint in his eye told Shuichi there might not be much assurance to his promise.

“Everyone! I have an announcement!” Aoi was standing on one of the tables in the center of the cafeteria. “To mark and celebrate this momentous occasion, the Kemele family has organized a festival in Iki Town to take place tonight. Everyone here is invited, including the people of Ultra Megalopolis. Allow us to show you some Alolan hospitality before you depart for home… if you choose so.”

Shuichi gasped lightly when he deciphered the implication of Aoi’s words. No doubt, the people would have to return to Ultra Megalopolis, but she was offering something very precious: a place in Alola. He didn’t know if she had the authority to do so, but Yuta and Sakura didn’t raise a fuss (and he doubted Keoni would) so perhaps the Kahunas were in agreement. It would be a dramatic shift in culture shock, but at least she was giving them the option.

“A party in Alola?” said Keebo.

“I have to tell Papa!” Angie announced, jumping up from the table and running out of the cafeteria. 

“Honeymoon in Alola?” Nagito suggested to Hajime. 

“We’ve got nothing else to do,” Hajime agreed.

During the first trip to Alola, several of Shuichi’s friends had proposed remaining in Alola as a vacation after Mosaic and Nebby had been found. Clearly, that didn’t happen due to the trauma associated with the climax of their adventure, but now they had the option. He was tired, but he wasn’t traumatized. After all the trials they went through, maybe they deserved a chance to relax.

“Hey,” a tinny voice echoed from a nearby table, Shuichi turning to see it was coming from Chisa’s small radio. “Anyone who camped at the altar, come get your bags.”

Chisa smiled and stood up from her seat. “Campers, report to the docks to collect your belongings.”

Kyoko had a smugly satisfied look on her face the entire trip down to the docks, and Shuichi couldn’t help but wonder what her deal was with the other International Officers. She clearly respected Chisa, Makoto was both her romantic and investigative partner, and Kiyotaka, Mondo, and Chihiro were clearly treated with affection, so why was she hostile towards the others? Did she have some negative experiences with Kyosuke and Juzo? And why was she annoyed about her own father being here? Well, he wasn’t one to judge on that last part; if his father had shown up in Alola, he might be pissed too.

“Clean-up crew,” she muttered again once they reached the docks, the ferry Kyosuke and Juzo had used to venture to Poni island visible from the elevator platform.

Juzo recklessly threw one of the bags off the ferry, Mondo scrambling to catch it and yelling obscenities, which Juzo yelled right back at him. Kiyotaka looked uncomfortable with all the shouting while Kyosuke appeared to be ignoring Juzo and Mondo’s arguing.

“You think you’re better than me, mother fucker!?” Mondo barked.

“I know I’m better than you! You were a pathetic thug when we met!” Juzo threw right back at him.

“I’m not anymore, but you’re still a jackass!”

Koichi Kizakura was standing off to the side, leaning against one of the storage crates, sipping from his flask, and humming to himself. He made no effort to stop the two screaming men and almost seemed to draw some entertainment from the display. He nodded at Kyoko as she passed by, but she didn’t acknowledge him, not that he seemed to mind; Makoto greeted him instead.

“Stop shouting!” Kiyotaka ordered, seemingly unaware of his own hypocrisy. “This is not behavior befitting of International Officers!”

“Tell ya what,” Juzo snapped in a simpering tone, “when you rank up, then you can tell me what to do. Until then, shut your damn mouth and do what you’re told!”

“Don’t yell at him!” Mondo snarled.

“Juzo!” Chisa scolded, marching across the docks with authority in her posture. “That is no way to speak to a fellow officer! You should be ashamed of yourself!”

Juzo growled and muttered to himself, ducking away from the deck to retrieve more bags. Mondo looked satisfied that Juzo had been roundly scolded, although he did wipe the smirk off his face when Kiyotaka frowned at him. The bags had been removed from the ferry and carefully arranged into an almost-perfect cube.

“Did you work at the airport before you were an officer?” Himiko asked Kiyotaka, approaching the cube.

“No ma’am,” he responded. “I applied to a Bureau branch directly after graduating high school.”

“It’s that easy, huh?” said Tenko.

“Certainly not! You cannot become an official junior officer unless a current officer recommends you for basic training at Bureau Headquarters in Sinnoh.”

Shuichi glanced at Kyoko once he heard Kiyotaka mention recommendation. She stated she thought he had the potential to become an International Officer and offered a letter of recommendation should he choose to join the Bureau. He supposed the letter of recommendation was a surefire method of ensuring only the best were chosen to become officers, and she thought he was worthy. He wondered who had written her letter, or Makoto’s, or even Mondo’s if Juzo’s comment about him being a thug when they first met was either literally or figuratively true.

“It’s crazy being around all these officers,” said Uncle Jiro, affectionately patting Shuichi’s shoulder. “Never thought you’d meet any of these people, right?”

“Not in a million years,” Shuichi replied, crouching to grab his duffel from the cube and wincing as his burned skin rubbed painfully. He was starting to get tired of being forced to make every move carefully or risk the tender skin twisting and pinching.

“Ah! Mukuro!” he called out to her when he spied her picking her own bag out of the cube. “Do you know how the Pokémon in the conservation area are doing? I never figured out where that bomb went off and I was worried Junko set it off there.”

“They’re just fine,” she assured him. “The bomb actually went off in the secret labs.”

“What!?” Kaito squawked. “And the facility is still stabilized!? And what happened to all the information down there!? Or that Ultra Beast we saw!?”

“The secret labs weren’t a supporting floor; they were more like a hole in the wall. Celesteela’s fine; it can take much more damage than that. Only problem is: what to do with it.”

“What do you mean?” Kaede asked.

“Ultra Beasts don’t naturally occur here; they’re not meant to be in this world,” Mukuro explained. “We’ve made an exception for the Monokubs’ Ultra Beasts since they’re tame, as well as Nagisa’s Poipole, but the Celesteela and Junko’s Pheromosa and Buzzwole are a different story. The former has no trainer and the latter two are relatively hostile. The best option would be to return them to the worlds they came from.”

“We have the method to do so,” Kaito pointed out, not bothering to hide his excitement.

Kokichi scoffed, drawing Kaito’s attention. “What makes you think they’re gonna let you keep Nebby? Solgaleo is a Legendary Pokémon who shaped the sun, why would they let you keep him?”

“Nebby didn’t do that; the ancient Solgaleo did!” Kaito argued. “I don’t care how big he is or how much he’s changed: Nebby’s still Nebby. And if Jiro couldn’t separate us when he was a Cosmog, or Necrozma when it absorbed him, then nothing can! Besides, Mukuro gets to keep Lunala! …I assume.”

Mukuro held Lunala’s Pokéball in her hand, rubbing her thumb over the button to release the Pokémon. “They can have her when they pry her from my cold, dead fingers.”

“Don’t worry, Kaito,” Kyoko assured him. “Nebby may be a Legendary Pokémon, but he’s still a Pokémon. You two won’t be separated.”

“On what authority do you make that promise?” Kyosuke questioned.

“The ‘authority’ that I’m not afraid of you and, if you haven’t noticed, there’s basically a battalion of Pokémon trainers right in front of you who will fight tooth and nail so Kaito and Nebby remain together,” she retorted.

Kyosuke narrowed his eyes and cast a glance over the group of friends, several of them returning his stare. He sighed in frustration and broke eye contact, grabbing the last of the bags and walking off the ferry instead of throwing them.

“Shuichi,” Mukuro approached him, her bag thrown over her shoulder. “Drop your stuff off and meet me on the north deck, okay?”

Although Shuichi would have preferred meeting on the east or west deck, he did agree to join her on the north. He hoped they weren’t going to approach the mansion, lest Junko’s blood puddles were still there. He returned to the shared room and haphazardly threw his bag onto his bed. There were employees congregating in the halls, examining the gaping hole in the wall and taking note of the expenses. As Shuichi walked by them, he wondered what happened to Aerodactyl, or Junko’s other Pokémon for that matter. Perhaps Mukuro could answer that question, along with whatever it was she wanted to discuss with him.

Shuichi emerged from the reception area through the broken door. Mukuro was the only other person on the north deck, but she wasn’t alone. Lunala was basking under the light of the sun, the purple of her wings turned almost lilac as the light streamed through. The weather that morning was similar to yesterday’s in that it was warm and sunny with several white, fluffy clouds drifting lazily across the sky. Shuichi released his Pokémon from their Pokéballs, so they could wander around.

“Hello,” Mukuro greeted him, gesturing for him to sit on the floor beside her.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, watching Lunala nip at Mosaic’s crest and then lift herself out of his range when he jumped and tried to tag her. Lumine and Scout ran around in circles as they tried to keep Lunala in their sights.

“It’s a beautiful sight, isn’t it?” Mukuro spoke.

“What? The sky, the ocean, or the Pokémon?” Shuichi responded.

“None, all, one after the other,” she replied, flashing him a small smile.

“Mukuro…” he paused, trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say. “I hope you remember the, um… promise you made?”

“About seeing a therapist? Yeah, I remember.” She heaved a sigh and watched some of the cloud drift overhead. “I’m never going to be alright ever again. I saw it happen; y’know… how Junko obtained Mosaic’s… progenitors?”

That meant she saw her Pokémon die for the sake of creating the Beast Killer. Shuichi inwardly shuddered at the thought of witnessing someone murder his Pokémon. It was no wonder Mukuro turned on her sister.

“I stood by her our entire lives,” she went on to explain. “She always had issues; they’d ebb and flow like the tides. Some days, she was sort of normal, and others, she was intolerable. But she had ambition, and I admired her for that. That’s why I stood by her when she proposed the creation of Aether Paradise. I finally thought she was channeling her aspirations into something constructive and, for a while, it looked to be true. I was an idiot for trusting her, for believing she had reformed.”

“It’s not your fault,” Shuichi comforted her. “You didn’t have a reason to think she would do what she did. What matters is you recognized when things went too far, and you did something about it.”

“Still, I know I’m not going to be the same as I was before this travesty. I probably never will.”

“Well, I guess it’s like what Doctor Gekkogahara told me: ‘there is no finish line.’ Keep going, as long as you keep trying, you’re getting better, but there isn’t a definitive point where you’re ‘cured.’ Your issues will always be with you, they’ll always be a part of you, but you can learn to manage them.”

Mosaic trotted closer to the mansion, nose down to the floor as he smelled the remnants of blood. Shuichi wouldn’t notice until he investigated later, but the blood puddles had been cleaned by someone and the dismembered arm removed. Once he learned that, he didn’t bother asking what the officers intended to do with it. Maybe whoever gave Junko further medical attention would try to reattach it, or it would simply be disposed of and she would have to spend the rest of her life as an amputee. Honestly, he didn’t care anymore.

“What’s going to happen to Paradise?” he asked. “Now that Junko’s been deposed, who’s going to be in charge?”

“The logical answer would be me,” Mukuro answered, “but I don’t know if I could.”

“Well… that’s your choice to make.” Shuichi gazed over the ocean at the island he could see in the distance. He was pretty sure it was Ula’Ula, but not a hundred percent.

“There’s something I don’t understand,” he remarked. “Junko convinced the Keala family to help her by offering to repopulate the islands with the Alolan Pokémon and keep them safe. Why would she bother protecting the islands if she wanted to plunge the entire world in darkness? Wouldn’t having a safe haven defeat the purpose of inciting a great tragedy?”

“Junko was running an experiment, remember?” Mukuro responded. “She wanted to witness the true, raw emotions of humanity, and believed a great tragedy would bring it out. I think she wanted to protect the islands for two reasons. One, to give people hope that a safe place existed, but then crush it with the truth they wouldn’t be able to reach it. And two, if she wanted to follow the proper methodology of conducting a scientific experiment, she would need a control variable, so she could compare the dependent variables— people’s reactions— to what she changed in the world.”

“So, the islands were nothing more than a control variable?” Shuichi faltered. “To compare the rest of the fallen world to?”

“People and Pokémon are play things to her,” Mukuro said dismissively. “In the context of the social experiment, we’re nothing but data.”

Voices from behind alerted them they were no longer by themselves on the deck. Chisa and Peko were pulling a rope attached to what looked like a flat board, dragging a dark mass into the light bathing the north deck. Hajime, Nagito, Fuyuhiko, and Izuru eagerly followed behind, Kyosuke’s voice echoing from within the reception area, arguing something about alerting Director Kirigiri concerning their recklessness.

Mukuro and Shuichi stood up as the group finally emerged into the light, the dark mass revealing itself to be a Type: Null. Shuichi gaped at the creature, memories of Mosaic chained in a dark, dank basement flashing in his mind. Chihiro said three Type: Null had been created from the Beast Killer Project, and it was only now that Shuichi realized he had never encountered the third Type: Null. Mosaic was the first and the vivisected Type: Null was the second.

This was the third, still alive and well.

Mosaic froze when he saw what essentially a mirror image of his existence before meeting Shuichi. He warily approached the Type: Null, head lowered and his hackles flattened. He was cautious but not hostile. The Type: Null turned its helmet-covered head to observe Mosaic but made no effort to move. Comparing the two, Shuichi noticed how skinny and frail the Type: Null looked while Mosaic’s body rippled with muscles and healthy pockets of fat.

“This is ours now,” Peko announced, looking pleased with herself.

“Wha—? The Type: Null? You guys are going to take it?” Shuichi sputtered.

“We already have a room for it,” Fuyuhiko reminded him. “And Peko refused to leave it behind.”

“Where was it?” Shuichi asked. “Not down in the secret labs!?”

“After Junko and Monokuma fled through the Ultra Wormhole and you and your friends returned to the mainland,” Chisa explained, “we had several teams from the Bureau examining Junko’s private lab. We removed all the frozen Pokémon and had them rehabilitated, but Kyosuke insisted we not thaw out the last Type: Null. We had it stored in one of the research labs and secretly thawed it this morning.”

“Maybe the Type: Null weren’t meant to exist,” said Peko, “but they do, and we have a responsibility to care for them.” She spoke with an odd mixture of wistfulness and affirmation.

Kyosuke came marching out of the reception area with Director Kirigiri, Makoto and Kyoko right behind them. Jin did not look pleased to see the thawed Type: Null, prompting Nagito and Izuru to subtly move themselves between him and the Pokémon. 

“I did not authorize the revival of the final Type: Null—”

“Untwist your panties,” Fuyuhiko grouched. 

“You may be our allies, but I will not be spoken to in such a vulgar manner,” Jin growled.

“Look,” Fuyuhiko retaliated, “who better to take care of an artificial Pokémon than us? We have the resources and experience, you can trust us, and you won’t have to deal with it. Everyone wins.”

“That does appear to be a beneficial arrangement,” Kyoko remarked. 

Jin’s eyes narrowed in thought as he contemplated his daughter’s words. “I would prefer the Type: Null remain here at Paradise.”

“As president of the Aether Foundation, I hereby give permission for the Kuzuryu Clan to take custody of the last Type: Null,” Mukuro declared.

Shuichi smiled and let out a small chuckle of relief. “Then, you’re going to lead the Aether Foundation?”

“I feel it’s the most convenient arrangement for everyone. Besides, it would be irresponsible to take Lunala away from the islands.”

Kyosuke groaned in frustration, clearly not pleased Chisa and the clan members had acted so recklessly and were basically being rewarded. Jin decided he needed to concede to Mukuro’s ruling or risk losing her ally status and the foundation’s resources. He sighed and nodded, giving the Kuzuryu Clan his permission to take the Type: Null.

“While we are on the topic of the Beast Killer,” he continued, “let’s talk about the beasts themselves. Our plea agreement with the Monokubs granted them custody of their Ultra Beasts and as long as they behave during their probation, they will be allowed to keep them. However, the uncaught Celesteela and Junko’s Pheromosa and Buzzwole are a different story. The latter two must now be considered wild, as well as the rest of Junko’s Pokémon.”

“I have them right here,” Mukuro revealed, pulling at the strap of her small bag. “I gave it some thought and have decided to retire the Pokémon rather than claim them as my own. They’ll never replace the ones I lost, and they’ve suffered enough. They’ll live in the conservation area. As for the Ultra Beasts…” she trailed off, unsure of how to answer.

“Kaito expressed an interest in returning them to Ultra Space,” Makoto spoke up. “If we’re going to consider them wild, perhaps it’s best we return them to their natural habitats.”

“Using Nagisa’s shuttle?” said Jin.

“Riding on Nebby’s back,” Shuichi specified. 

Jin groaned and pinched the skin between his eyebrows. “Which one is Kaito?”

“The one with the spiky purplish hair.”

“He intercepted me in the hall babbling about traveling through Ultra Space.”

Makoto grimaced and nervously fidgeted with his fingers. His facial expression shifted as he carefully thought about what he wanted to say next. Sure, he was a high-ranking officer in the International Bureau, but he didn’t have the rank of Kyosuke, Juzo, and Chisa, nor the prestige Kyoko carried being both world-famous and the director’s daughter. If he wanted to have some influence, he needed the gift of a silver tongue, something he sorely lacked.

“I think,” he spoke methodically, “we should consider Ultra Space new ground to tread. If Junko could take advantage of the Ultra Beasts and other resources from Ultra Space, then who’s to say someone else can’t as well? And we need to consider there are others like the people of Ultra Megalopolis who could become allies or enemies. If Mukuro and Nagisa are willing to offer their knowledge and resources, and Kaito is willing to be the forerunner in exploration, we have the foundations of an Ultra Space exploration team.”

Jin frowned at Makoto, deciphering his hidden intentions. He would have rebuked his officer had Kyoko not spoke up in his defense.

“I think that’s a fantastic idea,” said Kyoko.

“You would,” Kyosuke grouched. “We’re the _International_ Police, not the _Interdimensional_ Police.”

“Who says we can’t be both?” Chisa suggested. “We took an oath to defend the people and Pokémon of this world, why should we ignore the people and Pokémon of other worlds? The inhabitants of Ultra Megalopolis have already displayed their technological advances, such as the gun. If we can ally ourselves with people of other worlds, we can share technology.”

Kyosuke and Jin exchanged glances once they realized Chisa and Kyoko, two individuals they were emotionally close to, had teamed up against them. Jin sighed again and ran a hand through his hair.

“I’ll consider it.”

*Iki Town*

Maki, Himiko, and Keebo were the ones who visited Iki Town during the first trip to Alola to obtain the Fightinium Z. From their description of the quaint town up the hill, Shuichi wouldn’t have believed it could hold this many people; and yet, he was standing before an intermixed crowd of dark-skinned Alolans, lighter-skinned Aether employees and non-islanders, and the pale-skinned people of Ultra Megalopolis.

Some of the Alolans were the Keala family, finally exploring beyond their isolation on Poni Island, but the rest were members of the other three families, warmly welcoming their brethren back. Keoni and Wikolia had overseen the Kamaka, Keawe, and Kemele families during the confrontation with Necrozma, ensuring the islands remained calm until the Kahunas and Guardian deities returned. Now, they were able to relax and celebrate. Necrozma was gone and the four Tapu had remerged with the energy of the islands, inducing the same calmness Shuichi remembered feeling during quiets moments of contemplation while on the islands.

The families had crafted countless numbers of strange bouquets with exotic flowers and ti leaves. More ti leaves had been laced onto ropes and strung between houses, and Shuichi realized he had never felt safer being surrounded by all these leaves, granting luck and protection. As the sun sunk below the horizon, several torches were lit, and the people of Ultra Megalopolis were able to safely remove their helmets, revealing they didn’t look all that different from anyone else. Without the shield of the helmets, they were human.

Kiyo almost looked as if he were about to pass out from overstimulation. There was traditional Alolan music and dancers, food of all kinds displayed on four long tables, accents and languages conversing together, and old stories being told directly from those tasked with remembering them. He couldn’t take pictures or write in his notebook fast enough.

While the Guardian deities were not in attendance, having merged with the islands once more, Nebby and Lunala had found a clear space for the two of them to settle and avoid accidentally knocking into anyone. People kept approaching them and offering food, totems, and flowers, but the duo were mostly interested in the food. They may be living legends, by they were still Pokémon, and were relatively young in comparison to the ancient Solgaleo and Lunala.

His growling stomach finally drove Shuichi to the tables burdened with food. He had to sidestep Akane’s enthusiastic feasting, barely dodging her thrown elbow as she ripped a mouthful of cooked meat from a bone. There were no chairs, so everyone was sitting in the grass with their plates. He chose to remain standing, or else Mosaic was going to steal his food again. The Silvally was preoccupied however, since Nagito and Chiaki were happily sharing with him.

“Hey Shuichi!” Kokichi came running up to him, flaunting several _leis_ around his neck and wrapped around his arms. “You’ve forgotten something important!”

“You just called me ‘Shuichi,’” he pointed out. “You always call me ‘Mister Detective.’”

“Don’t change the subject,” Kokichi scolded him. “You made a promise and you haven’t kept it!”

“I… I did? What promise?”

Kokichi groaned and firmly grabbed Shuichi by the shoulder, turning him to where Kaede was sitting in the grass with Aoi and Makana. At first, he was confused about what Kokichi was talking about, then it began to come to him. He blushed and began stammering, trying to free himself from Kokichi’s grip.

“Nuh-uh!” the smaller boy teased. “You made a promise and I witnessed that promise! If you survived the encounter with Necrozma, you were going to ask her out on a date. Now go!”

“I was running on adrenaline,” Shuichi argued. “I didn’t mean it!”

“That’s a terrible lie,” Kokichi shook his head disappointedly. “At least put some effort into it.”

Shuichi whimpered lightly and looked toward Kaede. She was having an animated conversation with Aoi and Makana, but he was too far away to hear what they were discussing. It didn’t matter anyway, the happy look on her face was enough to make him feel weak in the knees.

“You made a promise,” Kokichi reaffirmed. “Now keep it!”

He ripped Shuichi’s plate from his hands and gave him a firm shove. Shuichi stumbled and nearly fell in the dirt, casting a glare over his shoulder at Kokichi, who cheekily grinned back and began snacking from the plate. Shuichi took in a deep breath and nervously wrung the hem of his shirt in his hands. He marched toward the group of three girls, his pace a little too shaky to be mistaken for confidence.

“Shuichi!” Kaede beamed at him once he approached. “Makana was telling me about how some Pokémon have unique Z-Moves. Apparently, they redirect the energy from the Z-Crystals and craft it into something new.”

“U-um… cool. Kaede… I need to ask you something.”

She noticed how nervous he was and jumped to her feet. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

“No! I-I mean I’m okay and nothing’s wrong. It’s just… I made a promise to myself and Kokichi is making sure I keep it.”

“What promise?”

Shuichi felt like crying from the sheer amount of embarrassment he was feeling. His face was bright pink, and he couldn’t bring himself to look Kaede in the face because she was so close to him. 

“Um, Kaede? Would you… like to go on a date with me?”

Blood roared in his ears, blocking out the jubilant noises of everyone around him. For a moment, it was just him, alone in this little world. He could feel the pressure of Kaede holding his hands, but not any of the warmth. Suddenly, the silence was cut through as Kaede shrieked and threw her arms around Shuichi’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug so tight he gasped for air.

“I’d love to!” she proclaimed. “I’ve been waiting so long for this moment!”

“You… you have?” Shuichi had never felt more relieved, forcing himself out of his anxious frozen status and returning the hug, although not nearly as tight.

How long had Kaede been waiting for him to make this move? And why hadn’t she done it when it was becoming more and more clear he didn’t have the nerve to do so? Perhaps she thought he would be intimidated if she was the one who asked for a date. Not that he would be…

“I’m sorry,” he apologized.

Kaede released him from the hug and narrowed her eyes at him, her cheeks puffing in a pout. “What are you apologizing for?”

“For making you wait so long?” he hazarded a guess.

Kaede exhaled her held breath and shook her head. “Why are you so cute?”

Across the center clearing of Iki Town, Miu’s head snapped in the direction of the new couple after she heard Kaede’s shriek. She couldn’t hear what was being said, but it was clear what had finally happened. She smirked knowingly, mentally kicking herself for not establishing a betting pool concerning when those would get together.

“Fuckin’ finally,” she griped.

“No kidding,” Ryoma chuckled, Rantaro, Kiyo, and Kirumi nodding in agreement.

Shuichi managed to sit down in the grass without irritating his burn, Kaede happily sharing food from her plate since Kokichi had whisked Shuichi’s away somewhere. Makana was explaining the unique Z-Moves she had been discussing with Kaede before Shuichi interrupted. Apparently, Lycanroc and Mimikyu were among the Pokémon who could use these unique Z-Moves. Unfortunately, Makana couldn’t explain how and why only some Pokémon could use different Z-Moves from the established eighteen elemental ones. The Guardian deities had a special Z-Move and Z-Crystal but given their status as personifications of the islands’ natural energy, it made sense they possessed certain powers no other Pokémon had.

While on that topic, Shuichi looked down at his own Z-Ring. Keoni had crafted it, as well as Kaede and Kaito’s, out of the three Sparkling Stones Angie and Makana brought back from the Ruins of Life. What was it about the Sparkling Stones that made them resonate with the Z-Crystals, allowing them to be made into Z-Rings so trainers and Pokémon could wield the elemental power? When introduced to the concept of the Z-Crystals, he had decided to just run with it. He didn’t question how or why they existed solely here in Alola, or how they functioned. But, there had to be something special about them. Why only Alola? 

“Nagisa,” Shuichi called out to the young boy when he was within earshot. 

Nagisa looked toward the group of four in the grass and approached. “What is it?”

“Do you know anything about Z-Crystals?”

“Why?” Nagisa asked, sitting down on the grass. “I thought Detective Kirigiri put you through training to wield them. What issues could you be having?”

“I’m not having issues, it’s more… a curiosity.”

“… Go on.”

“Z-Crystals only occur on the Alolan Islands. There are eighteen kinds that correspond to the eighteen elemental types of Pokémon, except for the Tapus’ Z-Crystal. And Makana just said some Pokémon have unique Z-Moves other Pokémon can’t use.”

“And Z-Crystals have existed as long as the ancient stories have,” Aoi added. “In fact, we don’t know their origins. They’ve just… always been here.”

Nagisa had a thoughtful look on his face. He looked toward the opening between the trees leading to the Mahalo Trail, winding up the hill to the Ruins of Conflict, where Tapu Koko now slept. Then he glanced at Shuichi’s Z-Ring, the indent empty of any Z-Crystal, and thus the Z-Ring was powerless. The Z-Crystals were the source of power, the Z-Rings were responsible for harnessing and focusing that power.

“Shuichi, remember what I told you about my journey here?”

“Your journey?” Shuichi couldn’t remember much about Nagisa’s discussion of how he came to reside in this world. 

“I traveled through Ultra Space and came to this world by chance; I stayed because I found remnants of Necrozma’s influence— or rather, the Blinding One’s influence.”

“Is there a difference?” Kaede asked.

“Yes. Despite technically being the same entity, consider the Blinding One and Necrozma to be two separate creatures. Two sides of the same coin. Necrozma’s influence is its role in the story of the Pillager of Light: how it came to Alola and attempted to steal the light. Given the story was nearly forgotten, Necrozma’s influence wasn’t strong. However, the Blinding One had a much stronger influence.”

“It gifted us with light,” Shuichi answered.

“Exactly. Lunala and Solgaleo were the ones who shaped it, but the Blinding One is the one who bestowed the light.”

“Then why wasn’t it remembered?” Makana asked. “All the stories talk about is Lunala and Solgaleo crafting the sun and moon from the shapeless light of our world. The stories don’t mention where the light came from.”

“Probably because it was so long ago,” Nagisa replied. “Long enough that no history anywhere ever recorded it.”

“The Blinding One gave us light, is that the influence you’re talking about?” said Shuichi. “Because I’m sure there are plenty of other worlds out there with light, so what made ours so special?”

“It’s not the light itself, the light around us,” Nagisa stated, gesturing to the crescent moon above them. “The influence I found were sources of special ‘sparks’ of light, if you will. Small pieces of condensed energy.”

“The Z-Crystals,” Shuichi realized.

Nagisa nodded. “When I came here, the Ultra Wormhole let me out in the Verdant Cavern on Melemele Island. Using the few tools I was able to bring with me, I identified trace amounts of Ultra Space radiation on the Normalium Z.”

“The Z-Crystals came from Ultra Space?” said Aoi. 

“No, the Z-Crystals are from here. The source of light they spawn from came from Ultra Space.” When his audience gave him identical looks of confusion, he continued explaining. “The Z-Crystals are formed from the sources of light, which originate from the Blinding One and have trace amounts of radiation. This light combines with the natural energy of the Alolan Islands, and the result are Z-Crystals. That’s how new crystals are formed in the trial grounds after one is removed by a trial goer. Light and energy, one foreign and one familiar.”

_Z-Crystals come from Necrozma’s light combining with our world’s natural energy?_

“What makes these sources of light different from the sun and moon?” Kaede asked.

“First off, I don’t know where they are. Wherever these sources lie, it’s a secret place we don’t have access to. A safe place where the light it contained and gradually drawn from to create the crystals. This light is special in _some_ way, but I’m not sure how.”

“Everyone! I have an announcement!” Keoni and Angie stood on the platform in the center of Iki Town. The latter was carrying a bag similar to the one she carried the Z-Crystals in, only bigger.

Once he had everyone’s attention, Keoni continued with what he wanted to say. “When my daughter, Leilani, returned to Alola, she brought with her some dear friends. They came here with a mission: to find their stolen Pokémon. To complete that mission, they embarked on the Island Challenge to grow stronger. Normally, when young trainers begin their challenge, they are gifted with an amulet that marks them as a trial goer. At the time, we didn’t have enough for all of you.”

He reached into the bag and pulled out an amulet decorated with the four colors of the islands: red, pink, yellow, and purple. He tossed it underhanded to Gonta, who was the closest to the platform at the time.

“We each get one!?” Tenko asked excitedly, running up to the platform to receive her amulet.

“Given your completion of the Island Challenge— and much more— these are more like trophies, symbols of you completing the journey.”

None of Shuichi’s friends seemed to mind. As Keoni went on to explain, the amulets were supposed to be a badge of some sort, letting the guards at certain trial grounds know they could pass. Shuichi recalled the Firium Z trial, how Kaito had shown his Z-Ring to the guard at the top of the mountain and it was enough to let them through. The guard was probably expecting them to show a trial amulet but let them pass because the Z-Rings carried a certain admiration with them.

“I wonder if the scanner at the observatory was meant to open for these?” Kaito pondered as he strung his amulet on his wrist. “I mean, it opened for my Z-Ring, but this would make a lot more sense.”

Shuichi held his amulet in one hand, gently touching each piece of colored glass, mentally reciting the name of the island that corresponded with the color: _Ula’Ula, Akala, Melemele, Poni._

Kaede looped the small leather strap over her ear, pretending the amulet was a large, gaudy earring. Shuichi temporarily surrendered his, so she could have matching earrings. Kiyo had pulled a small cloth from his pocket and was gingerly wrapping his amulet. Perhaps he intended to put it in the museum, but Shuichi hoped he would hang onto it. Kiyo loved his job, no doubt, but that amulet was _his._ He faced the trials for it, he should keep it for himself.

Suddenly, a chill settled over Shuichi’s shoulders like a cloak. Mosaic, who was hanging out near the tables and sampling every meal there, let out an ear-piercing scream. He snarled and snapped the air, glaring hatefully at the night sky. Everyone froze, their heads turning skyward in unison. The light-speckled darkness above them shattered like glass and an Ultra Wormhole bloomed into existence. 

Shuichi shuddered, staring at the wormhole in utter horror. He waited for the familiar black-clawed hands to grip the edges of the wormhole and haul Necrozma into their world once more. But that didn’t happen. Instead, a black mass shot through the Ultra Wormhole, streaking across the sky and into the distance. Due to Iki Town’s placement on the hill in the center of Melemele, everyone was able to watch as the mass sped across the sky, decelerating into a downward arc and disappearing beyond the silhouette of Akala Island.

“Mosaic!” Shuichi shook himself out of his stupor and rushed to his Pokémon’s side. “Calm down! It’s okay!”

Mosaic slammed his feet to the ground, growling harshly and digging his talons into the dirt. In the past, Shuichi would have felt too afraid to touch Mosaic when he behaved like this, especially after watching the Silvally rip a person’s arm off, but he knew Mosaic anger was not directed at him. Shuichi wrapped his arms around Mosaic’s neck and hugged him tightly, Lumine and Scout rushing over to join. Mosaic continued to breath harshly, like he had just sprinted across the island, then gradually calmed down.

The sound of a ringing phone cut through the terrified silence. Chisa scrambled for her phone, nearly dropping it when she successfully pulled it out of her pocket.

“Kyosuke?” she asked once she answered. “Where did it land?”

Kyosuke, Juzo, and Jin had remained at Aether Paradise to guard Junko in the infirmary. Izuru had also remained behind, but he did so to keep the third Type: Null company. From Aether Paradise, there was chance they had seen where the mass had fallen.

“Mount Lanakila,” Chisa reported.

*Mount Lanakila*

Lunala must have been enhancing the light of the moon to brighten their path. The crescent moon was too weak to provide the amount of light it was. The path up the mountain was illuminated to almost-blinding levels, moonlight reflecting off the snowdrifts and turning the stone white. Jin and Kyoko led the pack to the cave opening, the two walking side by side and each clutching a Pokéball in one hand.

Once they knew where the black mass had landed, Kyoko began organizing those who had faced Necrozma before, preparing to make the journey to Ula’Ula. Their preparations were halted by a squad of Charizard landing right outside of Iki Town. According to Nagisa, they were the Charizard he had used to take samples of Ultra Space radiation across the islands. Angie’s Tropius, Makoto’s Pidgeot, and the Charizard made multiple trips back and forth between Iki Town and the Pokémon Center on Mount Lanakila, delivering every adventurer and Jin Kirigiri from Aether Paradise. Juzo and Kyosuke made the decision to remain behind and guard Junko and Monokuma, who had been moved from the jail in Hau'oli City to Paradise.

Flaaffy’s tail orb lit up the ice-covered walls of the cave, stretching and distorting everyone’s shadows. Shuichi’s breath puffed in front of his face and he hugged himself to conserve what heat he could. Kaede leaned against him as they walked and the pair gladly shared body heat, as meager as it was.

“We didn’t get this far,” Kokichi murmured as they approached the exit of the cave. He, Gonta, and Ryoma had only made it as far as the crack in the wall.

Emerging from the cave on the other side was like entering another world. The lustrous radiance of the powerful moonlight reflecting off the snow almost made the mountain path look like an opposite Ultra Megalopolis. However, the path, which had once weaved up the mountain unimpeded, had been shattered by a huge crater from the impact of the black mass. Lunala and Nebby approached the edge of the crater, looking down at what lay at the bottom. The rest struggled to climb the slope, some slipping on the snow and sliding back down to the bottom.

In the cusp of the crater, illuminated by the light of the moon, was the trembling, broken form of Necrozma. 

“Ain’t that a party-killer,” Koichi drawled, sipping from his flask, slightly miffed at having to leave the festivities in Iki Town.

“Stop getting drunk!” Makoto snapped at him, taking a swipe for the flask but was deftly defeated by his short height.

On Jin’s orders, everyone spread apart along the crest of the crater, surrounding Necrozma and cutting off any escape. Shuichi glanced to his side, nervously watching Mosaic leer at Necrozma, clicking his beak-like mouth and flaring his crest. He didn’t have a Memory disc in the RKS System at the moment, but that didn’t appear to matter much to him. He had his prey right where he wanted it and he wasn’t willing to let it go this time.

“Mosaic, stand down,” Shuichi ordered. The Silvally tensed and snarled in frustration but stayed right where he was. 

“What should we do?” Jiro asked uncertainly. “Shuichi?”

“Wha—?” Several faces were turned toward him, waiting for his judgement on the situation. “Why are you looking at me when _they’re_ here!?”

He gestured to the International Officers, but all of them stayed silent. Shuichi gaped in confusion as none them, including the _Director_ of the International Bureau, made no move to take control of the situation. They were simply standing and waiting, waiting… to see what he would do.

_I control the Beast Killer, and this is the beast,_ he realized. 

Kaede grabbed his hand and squeezed it, letting him know she was right beside him during this trial. Shuichi took a couple deep breaths and observed Necrozma. It was clearly still reeling from the fight in Ultra Megalopolis, so why did it come here? There was no way it could defend itself anymore. Its broken body shifted, and it looked directly at Shuichi, who returned the eye contact without hesitating. He remembered the genuine fear he had seen in its eyes before. What he was seeing now wasn’t exactly fear, but there was a certain level of apprehension. 

_Why did you come here? What purpose do you have risking your death by our hands? If you had stayed away, you could have lived, but you came here despite being shown mercy, and it might be your end._

But again, could he do it? What right did he have to decide whether Necrozma should live or die? He was adamant about one thing though: if it was hostile, he would do everything to defend himself, his friends, and his world. 

_You can’t take the light; Lunala and Nebby defend it and we protect them. You must have realized that, right? You absorbed Nebby and we forced you to let him go. What made you think you could do it again? If you know you would meet opposition if you tried to take our light, what made you come back?_

Perhaps the light was too tantalizing; this was the husk of the Blinding One after all. Its light was stolen from it and its body shattered—

_Wait, the sun and moon were formed by the light the Blinding One bestowed upon our world. It willingly gave that light and returned to take it back in an attempt to heal itself after the people of Ultra Megalopolis broke it. It stole their world’s light in retaliation, and logic states it must have stolen other worlds’ light as well, but there must be something else at work here. What about our world is so special it would risk its own destruction to return here?_

Shuichi jumped when he felt something touch his hand. Angie had snuck up behind him and was trying to give him the bag of Z-Crystals. That made sense; he had left the Memories at Paradise because he hadn’t assumed he would need them in Iki Town. The Z-Crystals were their best available weapon, and so Angie was trying to arm him and Mosaic.

He took the bag and opened it, pulling out the Darkinium Z. He held it up so the moonlight streamed through it and couldn’t help but think about how the black surface of the Z-Crystal reminded him of the creature in the crater. Z-Crystals, formed from the islands’ energy and sources of light hidden away. 

Necrozma’s influence…

_Necrozma’s_ influence, not the _Blinding One’s._

“You came back for the Z-Crystals,” Shuichi whispered in amazement. 

_You’re not here for the sun and moon because you know Nebby and Lunala will fight back. You came to our world because broken pieces of your light are here, the pieces used to create the crystals. These aren’t pieces of light that you gave to us, they’re pieces that were taken from you and came to reside here. You don’t want the light that you willingly gave away, you want the light that was stolen from you._

In an instant, Shuichi knew what he had to do, but he didn’t know what his actions would bring. If he followed through with what he believed was the correct path to take, who knows what consequences it would bring. However, even though he was scared, he knew it was the right thing to do. He needed to reveal the truth of what happened to Necrozma, and what motivated it. It wasn’t a mindless, emotionless monster: it was a victim.

“Everyone,” he barely needed to raise his voice to be heard due to the silence and the echo, “I’m going down there. Whatever happens, obey my orders.”

Several of his friends nervously shifted their feet but didn’t raise a fuss. The interior walls of the crater were very steep and would prove to be a challenge to traverse. Once Mosaic, Lumine, and Scout realized they were going down into the crater, they chose to jump down and slide on the steep incline, but Shuichi didn’t have the balance to do the same. He clung to the edge of the crater’s ridge, the toes of his shoes scraping against the cracked stone. There was no ice in the crater, all of it having been melted from the heat of the impact, so he found toeholds and cautiously made his way down.

He only glanced up once to see Kaede and his uncle looking down on him, their own muscles visibly tensed. Their Pokémon all had their bodies leaning partially over the crater, prepared to leap down and defend him should anything go wrong. He was able to slide the rest of the way about three-quarters of the way down, leaving him with a buffer zone of about five feet. Every hair on Mosaic’s body was standing on end as he paced between Necrozma and Shuichi. Scout and Lumine stayed closer to Shuichi rather than attempting to approach the demon. Necrozma watched him fixedly, its eyes darting back and forth between Shuichi and Mosaic, viewing Shuichi as an intelligent threat, while Mosaic was the physical threat.

“It’s okay,” Shuichi took a step forward, holding his hands up to show the only item he was holding was Angie’s bag. “I know why you’re here.”

Shuichi halted when Scout gripped one of his socks in his mouth. If he continued forward, he would drag the Vaporeon with him. Lumine took this chance to gently grab the hem of Shuichi’s shirt in his mouth, trying to keep him in place. Mosaic began stalking directly toward Necrozma, his mouth opening and breath exhaling in large puffs.

“Mosaic, stay,” Shuichi ordered.

Mosaic snarled in frustration again, stomping his feet against the shattered stone like he was a toddler throwing a tantrum, but he stayed. Shuichi extricated Lumine and Scout’s teeth from his clothes and ordered them to stay as well. None of his three Pokémon looked happy with this arrangement, but they obeyed. He took another cautious step forward, watching Necrozma’s every movement. The demon’s claws curved slightly as he got closer, but there was little it was able to do anymore.

“I know what happened to you,” Shuichi spoke softly, “and it wasn’t fair. You didn’t deserve it; you’re a victim. All you want is to make the pain stop.”

Shuichi dropped to his knees, the cold air slightly numbing the sensation of his burned thigh. He opened Angie’s bag and spilled all eighteen Z-Crystals on the ground before him. Necrozma’s eyes showed visible interest and he knew he was on the right track. 

“These were created from the light that was stolen from you; the light the ancestors of Ultra Megalopolis shattered. I don’t understand how Ultra Space works, but somehow these sparks of light came to this world and settled in Alola because the presence of the Cosmog opened Ultra Wormholes on the islands. You came here to take the light that was stolen from you, but the Guardian deities wouldn’t let you near the islands, so you took the sun and moon instead.”

Shuichi arranged the Z-Crystals into two rows of nine, then, after a moment’s hesitation, he removed his Z-Ring and placed it between the rows.

“These belong to you, now I’m giving them back.”

He stood up and stepped back, facing Necrozma as he retreated. He kept going until his back was against the interior wall of the crater.

“What are you doing!?” Kokichi hissed, dropping to his knees and gripping the ridge of the crater so he could hang his upper half over it. “Don’t you remember what we had to go through to get those!?”

“They’re not ours,” Shuichi replied. “They never were.”

Necrozma leaned its body weight further back so it could extend one arm and bring the Z-Crystals closer. Its claws, despite being so bulky, delicately touched each crystal, before Necrozma heaved itself up on both hands and dropped itself down on top of the crystals. Its black, crystalline body began to glow, the blackness evaporating like a water puddle as light overtook it. Necrozma’s glowing body parts broke apart and rearranged themselves, the raw shapeless light from before filling the gaps and shaping the new body. Soon, the Blinding One stood in the center of the crater, its body much smaller than it was in Ultra Megalopolis, but it was whole.

Shuichi couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Necrozma stretched its wings, its head snapping in multiple directions as it tried to view every aspect of its healed body. Mosaic stopped his tantrum and now stared at Necrozma in awe. The Blinding One clenched its clawed wings, flexing its fingers and swiping its tail, then looked directly at Shuichi.

“You are Necrozma, the Blinding One, the beast that bestows the light.”

The creature before him bowed its head, then leapt into the sky. The others on the ridge of the crater steadied themselves as Necrozma beat its wings, creating a wind draft that threatened to knock them down the slope. The beast of light rose higher, its posture wobbling as it readjusted to its new body. With one final downstroke, Necrozma flew over the mountain, disappearing into the night sky until it was indistinguishable from the stars.

Mosaic’s head was tilted all the way back as he watched Necrozma’s departure, his posture calm after the latter’s transformation. Did he no longer view Necrozma as a threat after it returned to being the Blinding One? Or, rather, because it became the Blinding One naturally, without Junko’s force. He was created to defeat the Pillager of Light, which no longer existed. His prey was gone, forever.

Shuichi returned his Pokémon to their Pokéballs so he could ride Makoto’s Pidgeot out of the crater. He was dropped into a crowd of eager hands pulling at his shoulders and elbows and ruffling his hair. His uncle managed to partially rescue him by pulling him into a tight hug, but everyone practically yanked him out of it.

“How did you know to do that!?” Kaito asked.

“I… didn’t,” Shuichi admitted. “Nagisa said the Z-Crystals were formed by Necrozma’s light combining with the islands’ energy. I thought if I surrendered the crystals to Necrozma, it would at least encourage it to leave. I didn’t know it would heal it.”

Fuyuhiko side-eyed Shuichi with interest. “Are you positive you want to be a detective? Because we could sure use you in the clan.”

Uncle Jiro let out a strangled squawk in response, yanking Shuichi closer by the arm. The latter couldn’t help but wonder how his uncle hadn’t managed to muster some amount of trust for the Kuzuryus after everything they had done for Shuichi. Maybe there was something he wasn’t seeing, but Shuichi knew he could trust the Kuzuryu Clan.

“I don’t believe it,” Nagisa whispered. “It’s over. The Pillager is gone.”

“And the Blinding One lives,” Angie continued.

“Can we guarantee it won’t come back?” Makoto asked.

“It shouldn’t have a reason to,” Shuichi answered. “And now that it’s whole, it shouldn’t feel the need to steal light.”

“You saved the world,” Kaede said in an awed tone.

“And the best part,” Kyoko spoke up, “is you didn’t have to kill to do so. Junko, Monokuma, and Necrozma are all still alive. The former two will spend the rest of their lives in jail, paying for their crimes, and the latter can finally be at peace.”

Suddenly the cold didn’t matter to anyone anymore. The broken mountain path, illuminated in the moonlight, became the location of a small celebration. Shuichi’s friends, the International Officers, the Kahunas, and the Kuzuryu Clan members, all strangers to one another at the beginning of this journey, now clustered together as friends and allies. In their previous lives, they might have never crossed paths, or they might have looked upon one another and immediately forgot the face of the stranger they met. Yet, here they stood, each of different worlds and perspectives, but no longer unfamiliar. And Shuichi was the one who brought them together. 

Shuichi managed to gradually move himself out of the crowd. Sure, it was warm in the center, but also overwhelming. He took a few steps back and observed his friends— and they were all now his friends. A crunching noise in the snow next to him alerted him he wasn’t alone. He turned his head to see Director Kirigiri was standing beside him, watching the others with a stoic expression.

“Kyoko is quite fond of you,” Jin stated. “As my daughter and one of my top agents, I’m inclined to trust her judgement. She wants to recommend you for basic training.”

“I know,” Shuichi responded, looking away in slight embarrassment. “She offered.”

“You don’t seem all that excited about it.”

“I just… I don’t think I’m good enough. I mean, I’ve read so many articles and stories about what the International Bureau has accomplished. I could never hope to be that influential.”

Jin frowned, regarding Shuichi with an intense gaze. “Let me tell you something. I mentioned Kyoko specifically because she told me how you’ve admired her since you were young, but she’s not the only one.”

“Only one?” Shuichi repeated.

“Kyoko, Makoto, Chisa, Chihiro, and Kiyotaka have all offered to write you letters of recommendation for basic training. _Five_ International Officers think you’re good enough, and the previous record for a single applicant was three officers’ recommendations; isn’t that enough evidence for you?”

_All five of them want to recommend me?_ Suddenly, he was twelve-year old boy again, sitting in front of his television as he watched Kyoko Kirigiri give a statement about the Kanto Incident. He remembered how enchanted he was by her confidence and professionalism, especially at such a young age, and how much he wanted to be like her.

“I want you to consider it,” said Jin, pulling a business card from his jacket pocket. “After witnessing your ingenuity and compassion, I think the Bureau would benefit from you becoming an officer.”

Shuichi took the card, staring at it with an expression of disbelief. Six months ago, he was chasing Jun down an alleyway in a training exercise. Six months ago, Nagito came to him begging for help in finding Joy. Six months ago, he discovered a creature unlike any he’d ever seen before shackled in a basement.

Six months ago, life had been normal.

“Can I ask you one thing?” Jin inquired.

“Yes sir.”

“Why did you let Necrozma go?”

Jin hadn’t been there when Shuichi faced the Pillager of Light in Ultra Megalopolis. Perhaps Kyoko had explained what happened, but an oral report couldn’t properly convey the events that occurred. Still, if Jin was considering Shuichi for basic training as a recruit, he probably wanted to know what had driven Shuichi’s decision on such an important choice.

“I let Necrozma go… because it was afraid,” Shuichi answered. He didn’t know how else to explain his actions, but that simple statement was the entire truth. Jin looked at him with a neutral expression, interest sparking in the depths of his gaze, before nodding his head in acceptance.

“Shuichi!” Kaede broke away from crowd and captured him in another hug. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay,” he stated, this time with confidence. 

He pocketed the card before she could ask about it. He didn’t feel like discussing his future career path at the moment. All he wanted was to take a vacation; he deserved it. Shuichi smiled and gently pushed Kaede enough to make her let go, taking her hand in his.

“Let’s go. If we hurry, we can still enjoy the rest of the party before it gets too late.”

The future could wait; Alola was calling.


	26. Beneath the Moonlight, Under the Sunlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One year later, and the world has moved on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi Saihara: Vaporeon (Scout), Midday Lycanroc (Lumine), Silvally (Mosaic)  
> Kaede Akamatsu: Sylveon (Alba), Meowstic (Cy), Altaria (Cloud), Mimikyu (Spooky)  
> Kaito Momota: Solrock (Sol), Lunatone (Luna), Elgyem (Nova), Minior (Comet), Solgaleo (Nebby)  
> Maki Harukawa: Bisharp, Marowak, Togekiss  
> Angie Yonaga: Ribombee, Smeargle, Whimsicott, Tropius  
> Rantaro Amami: Lapras, Gallade, Decidueye, Slowpoke  
> Kokichi Oma: Roserade (Rugosa), Zoroark (Jester), Absol (Silver), Nidoking (Raja)  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Banette, Litwick, Aegislash, Xatu  
> Miu Iruma: Octillery, Flaaffy  
> Keebo: Luxray, Lairon  
> Tenko Chabashira: Blaziken, Mienshao  
> Himiko Yumeno: Braixen, Mismagius, Torracat, Buneary, Abra  
> Gonta Gokuhara: Drampa, Wimpod, Scyther, Pinsir, Heracross, Vespiquen  
> Kirumi Tojo: Gardevoir, Swanna  
> Ryoma Hoshi: Skitty, Meowth, Glameow, Purrloin  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Mawile, Vileplume, Salandit  
> Uncle Jiro: Stoutland (Blazer), Mightyena (Fang), Umbreon (Shadow)  
> Aunt Ayame: Espeon  
> Nagito Komaeda: Vulpix (Hope), Alolan Vulpix (Joy), Carbink (Merrick)  
> Hajime Hinata: Chesnaught (Husker), Linoone (Twist)  
> Izuru Kamukura: Haxorus  
> Chiaki Nanami: Wigglytuff, Azumarill  
> Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: Salamence, Honchkrow  
> Peko Pekoyama: Oshawott, Lucario, Kabutops  
> Nekomaru Nidai: Throh  
> Akane Owari: Sawk  
> Ibuki Mioda: Kricketune, Exploud  
> Sonia Nevermind: Escavalier (x2), Spiritomb  
> Gundam Tanaka: Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, Dedenne  
> Mikan Tsumiki: Chansey  
> Ryota Mitarai: Goomy  
> Teruteru Hanamura: Paras, Ambipom  
> Kazuichi Soda: Magnezone, Magneton (x2)  
> Ultimate Imposter: Ditto  
> Chisa Yukizome: Audino  
> Kyosuke Munakata: Blastoise, Skarmory  
> Juzo Sakakura: Primeape, Hitmonchan  
> Jin Kirigiri: Garchomp  
> Sakura Ogami: Crabrawler, Hawlucha, Machoke  
> Aoi Asahina: Greninja, Wailord, Sharpedo  
> Yuta Asahina: Golduck, Gyarados  
> Mondo Oowada: Houndoom (Rex), Granbull (Chuck)  
> Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Watchog  
> Chihiro Fujisaki: Porygon  
> Junko Enoshima: Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Medicham, Gengar  
> Mukuro Ikusaba: Lunala  
> Kyoko Kirigiri: Midnight Lycanroc, Beartic, Ursaring  
> Makoto Naegi: Victini, Pidgeot, Raichu  
> Monokuma: Drapion, Krookodile, Pangoro, Guzzlord  
> Monotaro: Magmar, Blacephalon  
> Monosuke: Electabuzz, Xurkitree  
> Monophanie: Aromatisse, Nihilego  
> Monokid: Poliwrath, Stakataka  
> Monodam: Gogoat, Kartana  
> Kotoko Utsugi: Mime Jr.  
> Masaru Daimon: Hakomo-o (Jingles), Jolteon (Dragon)  
> Nagisa Shingetsu: Poipole  
> Keoni: Dusk Lycanroc, Gigalith, Sudowoodo  
> Ace: Serperior

### Epilogue

### Chapter 26: Beneath the Moonlight, Under the Sunlight

**One Year Later**

Masaru Daimon wrinkled his nose in distaste. His clothes still smelled like ash from the volcano, and he hadn’t even entered Wela Volcano Park. Upon emerging from Dividing Peak Tunnel and stepping into Route 8, he stretched his arms over his head and listened to his back pop with a satisfied sigh. Jingles, his Hakomo-o, and Dragon, his Jolteon, shared his sentiment and both stretched their tired muscles.

The salt-tinged aroma of the sea water beyond the coast helped cleanse his palate of soot and smoke. He eagerly inhaled the scent. After living most of his life inland on the mainland, constantly being surrounded by the sea was a refreshing change. According the map the nice lady at the visitor’s bureau in Heahea City gave him, Route 8 ran the entirety of the north coast of Akala Island. If he kept going, he would eventually curve around and arrive to the Lush Jungle. There were Passimian living there and he was hoping to capture one.

Dragon barked and trotted toward a rectangular-shaped trailer placed just off the path. The blinding white design contrasted so strongly with the browns, greens, and blues of the island it was almost shocking. Curious, Masaru approached the trailer and saw an insignia on the door that almost looked like a trident. He was about to knock on the door, but a shuffling noise drew him to the other side of the trailer, the side facing the coast.

A boy was crouched in the dirt, taking a small handful and dropping it into a vial. He had blue hair and two strands that stuck up almost like horns. His skin was unnaturally pale, which he counteracted by wearing loose-fitting, but long-sleeved and -legged clothing, as well as a wide-brimmed hat. He also had on a small apron with several pockets.

“Hey!” Masaru enthusiastically greeted him.

The boy jumped in surprise, glancing over his shoulder to see who had rudely interrupted whatever it was he was doing. He frowned and narrowed his eyes, choosing to ignore Masaru and return to the task at hand.

“Hey, I said ‘hello.’ Don’t you know it’s rude not to reply?” Masaru complained.

“You didn’t say ‘hello,’ you said ‘hey,’ and ‘hey’ is not a proper greeting,” the boy replied.

“Okay, sorry then. _Hello_ , my name’s Masaru. What’s yours?”

The boy stood up and turned toward Masaru, eyeing him up and down. He had a look of disapproval on his face.

“I am Nagisa,” he finally answered, placing the vial of dirt in one of his apron’s many pockets.

“Cool! What are you doing, Nagisa?” Masaru asked.

“I’m taking soil samples to test for Ultra Space radiation,” Nagisa explained, his tone clearly indicating he wanted his new companion to leave him alone.

“Ultra Space?” Masaru said in an excited voice. “I know about that!”

“I doubt you do,” Nagisa grouched.

“No! No! Shuichi went to Ultra Space! He battled Necrozma in another world!”

That got Nagisa’s attention, as the boy dropped his haughty expression for one of pure shock. “You know Shuichi?”

“Yeah!” Masaru grinned. “He helped me rescue Jingles back when the traffickers were stealing Alolan Pokémon from the mainland. I lived in Litra for several weeks. Do you know Shuichi?”

Nagisa’s lips thinned into a straight line. “I helped him during the battle with Necrozma.”

“Then you work for the Aether Foundation?” Masaru asked, pointing to the insignia on the door of the trailer. 

“Yes.”

“That’s so cool! You’re a scientist but you look the same age as me!”

Nagisa heaved a sigh, finding this conversation tiring. “Yes, cool. Can I help you with something?”

“No, not really.”

“Are you a trial-goer?”

“No, I’m just training. I spent a year living in the wilds around my hometown to get a feel for it and, after hearing about Shuichi’s story, decided to come to Alola for some proper training.” Masaru gestured to Dragon and Jingles. “We need to be ready for the Elite Four.”

“Of what region?”

“I’m thinking I’ll try the Kanto Region. Do you need any help?”

“Not really,” Nagisa replied, “but I’m guessing you won’t go away even if I ask you. Here, take a vial. Try to dig about twenty centimeters down.”

*

It was still a strange sensation to wake up in Paradise every morning and remember Junko was no longer there. Mukuro coped as best she could, and she was certainly handling her emotions much better since she began seeing her therapist. She spent her whole life trying to support Junko, especially after the Aether Foundation was established and she finally thought her sister had found meaning and a direction in life. Now that Junko was gone, Mukuro had struggled to find her own direction. She constantly second-guessed her choices in how to run Paradise and wished Chisa was still around, but the officer had to return to the Sinnoh Region now that she was no longer needed undercover. Thankfully, the Monokubs chose to stay and had, surprisingly, proven themselves competent enough to be helpful.

Mukuro sighed contently as she walked through the conservation area. The Pokémon here had escaped any trauma Junko’s siege may have caused a year ago. All except Junko’s fighting Pokémon, but they had recovered very well. When not being forced into the agony of Mega Evolution, the four of them were pleasant to be around, but Mukuro still couldn’t call them her own. They were free-rangers in Paradise, no Pokéballs, no trainers. She had Lunala, but no one could replace the Pokémon she lost. She would always feel that pain, but at least she knew how to move on now.

Aerodactyl lifted its head as Mukuro walked over it on the raised walkway. Fixing the hole it had made when it crashed into the side of Paradise had been Mukuro’s first duty as Madame President. She had ordered the mansion be torn down and the materials used to repair the hole. She took great pleasure in watching the building collapse into a pile of debris and dust. Now, the northernmost edge of the north deck was a lookout point, with the deck itself turned into a landing pad for Pokémon and helicopters. The outer edge around the north deck had been converted into more living quarters for the individuals of Ultra Megalopolis who chose to remain in Alola. Thanks to them and their nocturnal behaviors (to avoid the intense sunlight), Paradise always had active workers during every hour of the day. Nagisa was trying to coax his people into the daylight, but he knew it would be an uphill battle. They had lived their entire lives in darkness, and Alolan daylight was too much to undertake without gradual acclimatization. 

“Miss Ikusaba!” Monosuke, his glasses nearly falling off his nose, came rushing up to her carrying several files, his Electabuzz struggling to carry the rest of them.

“We’ve managed to retrieve more information from the secret lab computers,” he reported. 

When the bombs had destroyed the secret labs a year ago, Mukuro had feared all the information stored there had been permanently lost. Their first priority was repairing Paradise, so the secret labs had been left to rot for a long time before someone remembered they were there and decided to do something about them. Monosuke had dedicated his time to retrieving any data he could from the broken computers, gradually recovering bits and pieces about the Ultra Beasts.

“What have you found?” Mukuro asked.

“We’ve recovered the basic profiles of the identified Ultra Beasts, but, so far, any infos on the Beast Killer Project is still lost.”

Mukuro sighed, looking away from Monosuke to hide the brief flash of sorrow in her expression. “I think it’s best we let the Beast Killer Project die. The world doesn’t need that data. Mosaic and Satz are just fine where they are. Satz will never be subjected to cruel treatment, nor will he ever use the Memories since Shuichi has custody of them.”

Monosuke frowned at her response. “While I understand your viewpoint, I don’t thinks that’s best. Sure, we ain’t gonna make any more Type: Nulls, but… what if someones else tries what Junko did? What if they make artificial Pokémon? Our data and experience could be helpful.”

“…I suppose you’re right,” Mukuro conceded. “But it is only for reference in case of future occurrences. If I catch anyone using that data for anything else, or viewing it without permission, we destroy it. Are we clear?”

“Yes ma’am!” Monosuke saluted her and walked away with his Electabuzz, shuffling through his files.

Mukuro leaned over the railing and watched as several Petilil, Cottonee, Bounsweet, and Cherrim emerged from the shade of a large tree, the latter unfurling their petals to soak in the warm rays of the sun streaming through the glass roof. Junko’s Tyranitar was standing beneath the same tree, eating some of the low-hanging berries. The small Grass-type Pokémon moved around its large feet, unafraid of the hulking beast. Gengar was hiding in the shade of one of the elevated walkways, preferring to stay out of the light, but no longer leering with hostility. In fact, there were several Mareanie sitting with it.

_This is what Paradise was meant to be; and now that Junko’s gone, it finally is._

*

“Ultra Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Ultra Recon Squad. Their continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To go where no man has gone before—!”

“Shut up before I make you shut up,” Maki growled.

But her threat fell on deaf ears; Kaito was having too much fun to care, and, she was grudging to admit, she was having fun too. Still, she was getting tired of him making that speech every time they embarked on a new mission. About a month after the final end of their journey in Alola, Kaito was contacted by the International Bureau concerning his conversation with Director Kirigiri. After giving it some thought, Director Kirigiri decided to accept Kaito’s proposition.

Now, Kaito and Maki stood before an Ultra Wormhole, double-checking their white, skin-tight uniforms to make sure there were no rips or tears. Nebby was nearly bouncing with excitement as he waited for them to finish the final touches before setting out. With a hand-signal, Kaito ordered Nebby to crouch so he and Maki could climb onto the Solgaleo’s back. The helmet’s visor wasn’t enough to cover the lower half of Maki’s face, so she purposefully turned her head to hide her blush when Kaito glanced over his shoulder to make sure she was settled.

“I’m fine, let’s go,” she replied, wrapping her arms around his torso.

“Alright Nebby, charge!” Kaito shouted.

Nebby threw his head back and ruffled his mane. His body began to glow, the wormhole resonating with his power. Nebby bunched his back legs beneath his body and launched forward, the Altar of the Sunne melting into the blues and purples of Ultra Space. Kaito tightly gripped Nebby’s mane as he galloped forward, his feet throwing rainbow sparks that dissipated as the Solgaleo raced by. 

One of the tools the people of Ultra Megalopolis had provided the Aether Foundation was supposed to help track where an Ultra Beast had originated. Maki and Kaito were technically officers of the International Bureau, but they worked closely with the foundation and had been stationed in the orchard house where Chihiro, Kiyotaka, and Mondo had been staying while in Alola. Some of the perks involved with associating with both the Bureau and the foundation was access to equipment and tools others couldn’t possess. 

The tracking tool almost looked like a dinner plate with a small indent at the bottom. The Beast Ball containing the Celesteela whose fuel was being siphoned to power Paradise had been fitted into the indent. It had taken Kaito a long time to decipher how the fluctuating colors and radiation waves indicated the direction and distance one had to go to reach the world beyond Ultra Space, but now it was almost second nature to glance at the tracker and maneuver Nebby on the correct course.

A distinctly-white wormhole loomed in the distance, soaring closer as Nebby sprinted straight for it. Maki shut her eyes as Nebby leapt through it, the sudden change in entering and leaving Ultra Space still a little disorienting. Nebby extended his claws and dug into the stone ground, skidding to a halt. 

Wherever they were, it was almost unbearably hot. The cracked stony ground was covered in some sort of green moss, which appeared to be the only kind of vegetation. Kaito and Maki slid down Nebby’s side, their boots slamming firmly against the stone ground. The duo released all their Pokémon, the flying/levitating ones taking to the sky to keep watch for any possible hostile creatures or people. There was what looked like a hill beside them, which Kaito started climbing to get a better vantage point of their surroundings. While he did so, Maki took a moment to crouch down and collect a small sample of the moss in a vial. 

“Maki-roll!” Kaito called out to her, gesturing for her to join him at the top of the hill.

The “hill” revealed itself to be the edge of a deep crater. From this high ground, they were able to look out across a dismal plain pocked with multiple craters, as well as steam vents and strange, pointed structures that stuck out of the ground. Maki lifted the visor of her helmet and wiped the sweat beading on her brow. 

“It’s hotter than Alola here,” Kaito remarked. “Let’s be quick.”

Kaito snapped several pictures on a camera loaned by the Aether Foundation while Maki collected some soil samples. Their job was to collect as much information about these worlds as they could to send back to the Aether Foundation and the International Bureau. So far, they had yet to stumble into a world with people, but Nagisa claimed they were out there. This place seemed too hostile for organic beings, which might be why it was the world of the Celesteela. 

“Got everything?” Kaito asked Maki, who nodded in return. “Okay, let’s finish this.”

Kaito removed the Beast Ball from the indent in the tracker and threw it into the center of the crater. Celesteela emerged from the flash of light, its two rocket arms twirling as if it were stretching its limbs. It looked around, letting out a pleased-sounding hum once it recognized it was home. From Maki and Kaito’s experience with this particular Ultra Beast, Celesteela never showed any signs of hostility toward anyone. It looked at the pair of humans, so small in comparison to its own giant body, then activated its boosters to lift into the sky. 

Maki, Kaito, Nebby, and the other Pokémon watched as Celesteela rocketed away, finally free from its restraints. Maki quickly made several notes about their last observations of Celesteela’s behavior.

“It never gets old, does it?” said Kaito.

“We’ve only done this once before,” Maki responded. 

“And it hasn’t gotten old.”

Maki sighed and pocketed her notepad. They had already returned Junko’s Buzzwole to its world, a strange jungle land of trees that were vaguely humanoid. After this mission, they would return to Paradise and report their findings and deliver the samples they had collected. After a brief period of rest and preparation, they would venture into Ultra Space once more to return Pheromosa and Monokuma’s Guzzlord. Once the trainerless Ultra Beasts were released back into their habitats, Maki and Kaito would borrow the Monokubs’ Ultra Beasts to visit their homeworlds and collect more information.

It was everything Kaito dreamed of, and while Maki hadn’t envisioned herself in this line of work, she was happy wherever he was, Ultra Space included.

*

Makana threaded the long stems of several flowers together, creating a _lei_ of multiple colors. Normally, when she created these flower offerings, she used the four colors associated with the islands, favoring pink since that was the color of Akala Island and Tapu Lele. However, this offering was not going to Tapu Lele; rather, these flowers were being used to decorate the grave of the Type: Null.

There were so many graves in Memorial Hill, most of which were unmarked or the headstones worn smooth, so it was difficult to know who was buried where. Angie’s Rockruff was buried close to home, so the only grave she was positive about its inhabitant was the Type: Null. Keoni had painstakingly crafted the headstone and she maintained it.

She wasn’t present for the journey to Ultra Megalopolis, nor during her cousin and her friends’ final confrontation with Necrozma, so she never got to see how destructive and powerful Mosaic was. However, once Junko was gone and the Aether Foundation recovered, she decided to volunteer in the conservation area and rehabilitate the Pokémon, only to discover the story of the three Type: Null during a conversation with Monophanie. Makana had looked upon Mosaic as a strange, mismatched creature; odd-looking, but harmless with Shuichi as his trainer. Now, she couldn’t help but feel pity for the creatures.

Mosaic and the third Type: Null had lived and were able to leave the Alolan Islands, but this one was not as fortunate. It spent its whole life being experimented on, then tortured to death; the least she could do was not let it be forgotten. So, once a week, she created a flower offering, gathered a wooden rake, dustpan, rag, and bucket, and made the trek to Memorial Hill. She removed the old offering, now brittle and browned from dehydration and the sun, and raked the top of the grave to remove any debris. Then, she would dip the rag into her bucket half-filled with water and wipe down the surface of the headstone. With her diligence and dedication, the tombstone was never dirtied or covered in moss.

Despite the joy she derived from keeping the grave clean, knowing the grave would be identifiable for many years to come, she couldn’t help the stab of sorrow in her heart every time her gaze lingered on those words.

_Here Lies the Synthetic Pokémon  
You Deserved Better_

She couldn’t do much, but she could do this.

*

No one was sure how the Temple of the Moone had fallen into such disrepair. The Altar of the Sunne was maintained by the Keala family, so one would assume the Keawe family would oversee the maintenance of the temple since they were the old family of Ula’Ula Island. However, the Keawe family, even in olden times, never resided in the vicinity of the Lake of the Moone. In fact, the family lived within Malie City, the only one of the old families to live within a major hub, instead of a smaller town, on the outskirts, or in the wilds. Since Aoi and Yuta were members of both the Keawe family and the Seafolk, they tended to wander further then other members of the former. They had ventured to the Lake of the Moone at a young age, their first solo expedition, and were perplexed by the conditions. They returned several times as they grew older, using the quiet surroundings as a training ground.

Now, the four families had come together with new plans to repair the temple. Aoi and Yuta didn’t know what the intention was toward the location, or whether it was simply to preserve another important facet of their culture. Perhaps the siblings should care more about the latter but given how the place was left to rot with no one else caring, their attitude might be a tad bit lax concerning the temple’s condition.

But the four families weren’t here to talk about the temple; that was to come later. Right now, Keoni, Aoi, Yuta, and Sakura had brought the families together to right a wrong from so long ago. The story of the Pillager of Light had always existed but, for some reason, had been repressed to the point barely anyone remembered the document’s mere existence, let alone the story itself. The story was true; it happened in the past and, more recently, almost happened again. Now, it was time to place the story among the countless others in the Alolan traditions. Future generations would know what occurred in Alola, both hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago, and more recently.

It was decided the original document, missing its cover and slightly battered from its ordeal, would be returned to Malie Library and kept safe and secure. The box it was kept in was the original, but now had a new engraving upon it thanking Nagisa Shingetsu for safeguarding it. Copies that had been made of the document would be distributed across the islands and to a select number of locations in other regions. Alongside the copies of the archaic story were also copies of the new tale that had occurred. 

Together, they were the story of the Pillager of Light and the Beast Killer.

Upon Shuichi and Mukuro’s requests, the second story didn’t go into much detail about Mosaic’s creation, only that he was an artificial Pokémon, created purposefully to fight the Pillager. Shuichi, Mukuro, Kaito, and Junko weren’t mentioned by name, only their roles as the guardians of the Beasts of Light, the befriender of the Beast Killer, and the summoner of the Pillager. Perhaps, in the decades to come, people would begin to doubt the legitimacy of the second story as they had concerning the Pillager of Light, but what mattered was that the stories existed, whether they were believed or not.

The Keala family was still adjusting, most of the members having spent their lives in isolation on Poni Island. Puanani proudly admitted her role in the trafficking, continuing to believe it was better Junko had summoned Necrozma to deal with it directly rather than let it wander uninhibited. She stood by her actions, refusing to acknowledge any wrongdoing. For that, she was not allowed to return to the islands, and leadership of the Keala family fell to Yuta.

And so, standing together as one on the emblem of the Lake of the Moone, the four old families remembered the past, the truth and the lies, and looked to the future.

*

“Kyoko!” Makoto nearly slid past the doorway but managed to snag the doorframe to stop himself from going too far, Victini jumping off his shoulder and treading the air with his wing-like tails.

Kyoko looked up from her desk, watching bemusedly as her partner readjusted himself and successfully made it through the door. She recalled that was something he did all the time; too excited to slow down and explain in a calm manner. In the past, when he was a junior officer, he attempted to present himself in a more professional demeanor before just giving up. Besides, she preferred him this way; it was endearing.

“What are you excited about now?” she asked, closing the file she had been looking over.

“Sayaka’s coming to Sinnoh!” He stumbled on his way into her office and nearly slammed into her desk. “She’s having a concert in Hearthome City in March! Look!”

He excitedly waved an envelope in her face, which she deftly snatched out of the air. Opening it revealed two VIP tickets for said concert, along with a note littered with drawings of hearts and smiley faces. A cursory glance over the words squeezed in among Sayaka’s doodles revealed a brief overview of what she had been up to the past year and how excited she was to see Makoto and Kyoko and hoped they could attend the concert. 

No doubt she would want insider’s information about what happened in Alola, but, despite not having known her as personally as Makoto did, Kyoko knew the other woman wouldn’t speak a word of what they told her. Sayaka had been there in Unova, alongside Makoto and Leon, as the region almost fell apart because of misguided beliefs. That incident hadn’t been as notorious as the Kanto Incident, but it was still well-known, and even had been more meticulously detailed than the Kanto Incident concerning what was released to the public. And yet, Sayaka, despite being a famous popstar and openly stating she was present in Unova during the events ten years ago, never breathed a word.

“Have you ever been to a concert?” Makoto asked. 

“No, I’m not sure if I’m one for such loud venues as a pop concert,” Kyoko replied.

“We’ll get to be backstage; it won’t be so crowded.”

“I’m going,” Kyoko assured him. “Maybe I’m not as close to Sayaka as you are, but I still consider her a friend. Is Leon still in her entourage?”

“He has yet to master an instrument, so he’s still her bodyguard,” Makoto answered. “I don’t know if making music is in his future career path, but he appears to be enjoying himself.”

Makoto glanced down at the top of Kyoko’s desk, reading the title of the file upside-down. “Is that Shuichi’s training schedule?”

“Yes,” Kyoko opened the file again and handed one of the sheets of paper to him. “He just completed a six-month session of basic training.”

“He’s getting it all done in the largest increments?” said Makoto, reading the paper he had been handed. “I guess that makes sense; no point in dragging it out. Have we matched him with a partner yet?”

“Unfortunately, no. We have an odd number of junior officers and they were all paired before he accepted. And, we currently don’t have any cadets being considered for junior officers. I think it’s too early in the year for any surveying officers to have determined whether the cadets are ready. For now, he’s a solo officer.”

Makoto hummed softly to himself and returned the sheet of paper. “You’re supervising his training?”

“Not directly, but it’s not like Father is going to stop me.”

Makoto laughed at that statement. “At least we know he won’t need to wait two years before going on his first independent mission. Although, Kaito and Maki are already completing missions; I hope he doesn't feel like he's being left behind.”

“Kaito and Maki are already cleared for their missions, but they’re a special case. They didn’t need to train in most of the laws and legalities of the regions. Shuichi understands that.”

Makoto stepped around her desk and offered a hand. “Let’s take a break from work. Want to take the ferry across the cove to the resort?”

Kyoko frowned and looked at the small stack of files on the corner of her desk, then, with an uncharacteristic shrug of the shoulders, she accepted Makoto’s hand and stood up from her chair. After Shuichi healed Necrozma, Kyoko and Makoto had taken a small vacation with the rest of their new allies, but they were being watched by Jin Kirigiri for most of it. Perhaps this outing would just be for the day, but it sounded lovely.

*

“Last box!” Mondo announced triumphantly, like this was the greatest task he had accomplished in years. “Everything’s out of the moving truck.”

At the moment, their new house looked like a cluttered mess with all the stacked boxes and furniture haphazardly arranged. Mondo, Kiyotaka, and Chihiro had lived in the living quarters of Bureau Headquarters for years, ever since each of them joined the Bureau. After living independently in the orchard house, where Kaito and Maki were currently staying, the trio realized they couldn’t return to the apartment-like living quarters. It was too crowded; not enough space. And so, the three of them sought out a new residence and found the perfect home in Veilstone City. Now, they were separated from Bureau Headquarters by a thirty-minute ferry ride.

The headquarters were located on Battle Zone Island, a subregion located northeast of the rest of the Sinnoh Region. The island itself was a prime location for strong trainers, as well as a vacation spot with the Resort Area. Headquarters were located between the Battle Frontier and Survival Area, facing the bay. The ferry would take them directly to the small marina outside the main building.

“Do you think Kyoko and Makoto will ever leave the living quarters?” Chihiro wondered.

“I doubt Director Kirigiri will let them,” Kiyotaka replied.

Mondo grunted in displeasure. “Look, I know he’s protective ‘cause he lost her for fifteen years, but she is a grown-ass woman and he needs to accept that. She has her own life to live and she and Makoto are going to leave the living quarters at some point.”

“Perhaps we should worry more about _our_ living quarters,” Chihiro stated, smiling sheepishly as he glanced at a specific pile of boxes taller than he was. Those boxes were filled with all his computer equipment and had nearly taken up a quarter of the space in the moving truck.

With that, Mondo picked one of the boxes labeled “Kitchen” and carried the items into their new kitchen, where Kiyotaka had already started unpacking and filling drawers and cabinets. He decided to be the muscle while Kiyotaka put things where they belonged. The latter was much better at organizing, so Mondo admitted defeat and chose to stick with what he knew.

Chihiro managed to heave one boxes into his arms and successfully made it to his room. He knew he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish such a feat a couple years ago. Working mainly behind a computer screen didn’t offer much opportunity to build muscle, but Mondo had been an endless source of encouragement, even if the latter didn’t know how to support Chihiro’s goals half the time. 

Kiyotaka and Mondo had surrendered the master bedroom to Chihiro for his massive computer set-up, something Chihiro wasn’t exactly comfortable with considering the duo shared a room and bed, so they would logically need more room. Yet, Chihiro was able to work from home most of the time; he would only need to go to headquarters for debriefings and if there was anything wrong with the mainframe. Still, this seemed like too much room for him.

With Chihiro in the master bedroom and Kiyotaka and Mondo together in one of the other rooms, the third remaining room was being converted into a guest room. Chihiro wasn’t sure exactly who they would have staying with them, but he supposed it didn’t hurt to be prepared. Maybe his father would come to visit, or Kiyotaka’s parents. Or they would be the hosts of certain officers.

“I say we grab lunch before we get started,” Mondo called from kitchen. 

“Procrastination never accomplishes anything!” Kiyotaka argued back.

“But we need the energy to unpack.”

Chihiro abandoned his boxes and raced for kitchen, vocally agreeing with Mondo’s suggestion of lunch. The kitchen was half-unpacked, so they couldn’t cook anything. It was best to head into their new home-city and see what it had to offer in cuisine.

*

“Shut! Up!” Miu shrieked, ripping the batteries out of the fire alarm. “What good are these things!? All they do is scream at you!”

“They detect fires,” Keebo replied in a deadpan tone. “Perhaps if you caused less fires, you wouldn’t be hearing the alarm as much.”

Miu scoffed and threw the batteries over her shoulder, leaving the chassis of the fire alarm hanging from the ceiling by a couple wires. She climbed down the ladder and kicked the batteries across the floor, causing them to roll under one of their work benches. 

“This place is too sterile,” she complained. “Where’s the love? Where’s the comfort?”

Keebo sighed and shook his head, trying to focus on the dissected heat-ray gun on the worktop in front of him. He and Miu had left their garage behind, trading it for a research lab in Bureau Headquarters. Despite his clear revulsion for Miu’s behavior, Director Kirigiri expressed interest in the siblings’ inventive and technological abilities. The two weren’t technically officers, but they were still employees of the Bureau, in charge of investigating, maintaining, and inventing new equipment and tools for the field officers. 

He couldn’t help but slightly agree with Miu. The garage might have been cramped and cluttered, but it was theirs. This place had more to offer, but it needed a touch of comfort. He kept taking exaggerated steps because he was expecting the floor to be covered stacks of newspapers and rags they used to clean up spills. Perhaps it was best the floor remain clear, but they could hang some posters or some pictures. Just a small piece of home, now that they had traveled so far from it.

“Do you think if I ask Kaito, he’ll will bring me my own Xurkitree? I miss that thunder noodle,” Miu remarked.

“I don’t think he and Maki are allowed to bring Ultra Beasts back,” Keebo responded. 

“Then what’s the point!?” Miu heaved a frustrated sigh. 

“Maybe if you focus on work…?” Keebo suggested.

Miu grumbled but resolved herself to working on her current project. Well, working on one and testing another. She had gotten the idea from Octillery’s tentacles. The invention was a harness with four robot arms coming out the back. She was still working some of the bugs out of the arms’ maneuverability, but, so far, no one had come out permanently scarred. Still, Octillery pulled himself to the rim of his water tank, watching fixedly to make sure the arms didn’t short out and start a fire, or electrocute his trainer. He could mend the former with a Water Gun and the latter with an Ice Beam.

In front of Miu was Junko’s PowerLock. It was decreed the device was not to be used again, but Director Kirigiri wished to know how it functioned, how Junko was able to unlock the full potential of the Pokémon she targeted. So far, Miu wasn’t discovering anything all that marvelous about the PowerLock and was sorely disappointed. 

“Look at this,” said Keebo, holding up a small, red, glowing ball with a pair of forceps. “It’s the heat core.”

“Don’t burn your thigh,” Miu snickered. “Man, there’s nothin’ in this thing!”

“You’ve barely taken it apart.”

“I know, but I was expecting something by this point. Why are we even bothering learning about this thing if we’re never gonna use it? Director says we’re gonna destroy it once I’m done. What’s the point?”

“In case something like this happens in the future,” said Keebo. “We can’t let someone like Junko build another PowerLock. That’s why we’re destroying it but need to know how it works. And think about it Miu: you’ll be the only other person in the world who knows how it works.”

Stoking her ego was always a guaranteed way to get Miu working again. With a smile dripping with pride, she got to work taking apart another panel on the side of device, one of her robotic arms delicately pinching and rearranging wires.

*

Rantaro pushed through the crowd of attendees and reporters with their cameras and microphones. A couple recognized him from the large photo Kiyo had on display and attempted to engage with him, but he politely shook his head and continued pushing onward until he reached the head of the crowd. Kiyo, Kirumi, and Angie warmly welcomed him, pulling him into the small bubble of space where none of the attendees could cross.

The partition wall separating the finished Alola Wing from the rest of the museum was against their backs. It was finally time to unveil the Alola exhibits after nearly two years of work. Rantaro wasn’t all that familiar with how these ceremonies were performed, but he wasn’t expecting this immense of a crowd. Yet, maybe their story had something to do with this number of attendees coming to the grand opening. It was no secret Angie, Kirumi, Kiyo, and Rantaro had taken part in what occurred in Alola, and the proof was displayed on the partition.

During the celebration in Iki Town, right before sunset, Mahiru had insisted on taking a group picture of as many people she could fit into frame. Of course, Shuichi and his friends were front and center with their Pokémon, with the International Officers, Kahunas, and Kuzuryu Clan behind them. Any empty space was occupied by random Alolans, Aether employees, and Ultra Megalopolans. In the very back, peering over the crowd to see what was so interesting, were Nebby and Lunala. 

The head curator exchanged some words with Kiyo and stepped to the side of the partition wall. Kiyo removed the photo, handing it off to Angie, and the partition was opened, revealing the Alola Wing. On the far wall at the opposite end was the completed painting of Lunala, her wings glowing with the power of the full moon behind her. Angie was the only one who saw Lunala’s strike from the shore, so the painting was a one-of-a-kind event. As people trickled in, Rantaro looked up to see the painting over the entrance to the hall. This one depicted Nebby standing on what looked like a cliff overlooking the ocean, the sun hanging above his head.

“That one was easy,” Jataro commented, having approached Rantaro when he saw the latter was looking at the art. “We had Nebby here in-person.”

The long-ways walls were decorated with even more paintings depicting Cosmog, Cosmoem, and the Guardian deities. Necrozma was in one painting, but its full body was purposefully obscured using some forced perspective techniques. Below this painting was a glass case containing the shard of Necrozma, the only piece of the Pillager of Light remaining after its restoration into the Blinding One. 

Beside the case with the shard was a similar glass case, but this one held Kaede’s Z-Ring, which she had willingly surrendered because she saw no reason to keep it for future hypothetical battles she didn’t foresee herself partaking in. Shuichi had sacrificed his own to heal Necrozma and Kaito still had his since he and Maki were venturing into dangerous territories. The two of them were gifted a couple Z-Crystals that were compatible with their Pokémon. Above the glass case were a string of wooden ornaments shaped like Z-Crystals, each painted to resemble one of the eighteen. 

Despite the two paintings of the Beasts of Light and the artifacts brought back and donated from Alola, the pinnacle of the collection were two documents: copies of the Pillager of Light and the Beast Killer. Above the glass case holding these documents was one final painting, one Angie had completed by herself. It depicted the top of the tower in Ultra Megalopolis, Ultra Necrozma’s glowing body levitating in the center. Below it were two figures, one clad in a white suit, facing away in the picture, and the other clearly being Mosaic. Shuichi didn’t want to be immortalized, but Angie knew she couldn’t leave out this significant moment. So, her solution was to have Shuichi facing away. No one could see his face, so no one could identify him. Only those who knew the full story knew who he was.

There were many subtle designs that tried to bring the Alolan environment to life, but Rantaro couldn’t help but feel it would never compare. After witnessing the beauty and majesty of the islands, nothing could replace that feeling. Still, it was clear Kiyo and Angie tried their best to bring a little bit of the Alolan culture to Litra. It couldn’t compare, but that wasn’t the intention. For anyone who couldn’t make the trip to the islands themselves, it was a little piece of Alola waiting for them.

Now he was feeling adventurous. Maybe it was time to visit the islands again. Maybe he could stay with Kaito and Maki in the orchard house, or at Aether Paradise. Or he could just sleep out under the stars, under the protective light of the moon.

*

Gonta was sad to see Maki go, even though he was happy for her since she and Kaito would be traveling between worlds together. Still, she was good at her job and the daycare felt a little empty with her gone. Thankfully, the daycare receptionist had a solution, and Sonia and Gundam welcomed her group of friends as new employees. They were an odd bunch, but the pair decided they had no right to judge.

The new employees all referred to each other by nicknames, like “Ace” and “Black Jack,” and had a strange way of communicating with one another, full of theatrics and flourishes. Gonta was overjoyed to welcome Kokichi into the daycare, completely unaware he was friends with Queen, the receptionist. They took to their jobs immediately, barely requiring supervision, although there were times Sonia had to rush in to break up some mop fights. It was a little tiresome trying to prevent DICE from committing pranks, but it quickly became clear it was inevitable.

Besides, it helped lighten the monotony some days.

*

“Satz! Look this way!” Nagito prompted, snapping a photo of the Silvally. His pictures would never compare to Mahiru’s, but he treasured them more for the memories rather than the artistic presentation.

“His name is Ersatzeile,” Izuru insisted for the umpteenth time. 

Hajime figured at some point his twin would figure out the name was too complicated for everyone who wasn’t Izuru to say repeatedly, but he had yet to learn. Hajime, Chiaki, Nagito, and practically everyone else referred to their Silvally as “Satz,” and Izuru corrected them every. Single. Time. Or he would say Satz’s name with emphasis while glaring at whoever had just called the Silvally by the nickname.

Satz had the helmet removed months ago once he was comfortable enough they were sure he wasn’t going to attack anyone. Unlike Mosaic, who was a prolific battler, Satz was a pet who would never see a fight as long as his four caretakers lived. Thusly, his body never quite filled out with muscle, leaving him always looking a little sickly, but both Gundam and Mikan confirmed he was healthy. His crest was never completely unfurled, always being held in a half-folded position.

“How many more pictures are you going to take?” Chiaki asked, yawning halfway through her question.

“Not many,” Nagito mumbled, looking through all the pictures he had already taken.

It wasn’t even a special occasion. The four occupants of the house and their Pokémon were just enjoying a somewhat-warm day in the backyard. No doubt the weather would turn cold again within a few days, so they were relishing it while they could. 

“Nagito, stop taking pictures,” said Hajime. “No one’s going anywhere; there’ll be plenty more moments together.”

“Okay…” Nagito relented, sitting down in the grass but still coveting the camera. 

Hope and Joy climbed into his lap, begging for their owner’s attention. Merrick floated nearby; with his rocky body, he wasn’t as prone to demanding physical affection, but Nagito liked to decorate him with ribbons. Nagito looked around at his husband, his brother-in-law, and their best friend, sitting in the grass with all their Pokémon, just enjoying the day before the weather shifted and it would be too frigid to spend time outside. 

It was hard to believe he almost threw this all away. If he had succeeded at the darkest point in his life, he wouldn’t have any of this. That’s why he was adamant about helping Shuichi; he couldn’t let the young man’s hope be lost to despair. He had so much waiting for him in the future.

Life was good because it was one worth living.

*

Peko’s cell phone rang with an unknown number showing up in the caller ID. She held the phone in her hand, eyes narrowed at the screen. There were many ways this could play out, but she had a sneaking suspicion in the back of her mind of who this was. Just as the final ring was about to chime, she chose to answer and held the phone to her ear. The voice on the other end didn’t come from the speaker, but rather, rang within in her mind.

“I was worried you weren’t going to answer.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, recognizing the mental voice. “I didn’t know the number.”

“I find some human inventions tedious, but the distance between us is too great to communicate telepathically.”

“Are you in Kanto?”

“No, I’ve gone north to a place called Kalos. There is a violent history of a bloody war that occurred here thousands of years ago. The Menhir Trail is marked with hundreds of graves of Pokémon who died in the war. The gravestones emit a strange energy.”

“That’s very morbid,” Peko stated bluntly. 

“It’s another indicator of the brutality humans are capable of inflicting on Pokémon.” Peko was about to speak up, familiar with her friend’s tendency to rebuke humanity for the crimes of the few, but he continued speaking. “But… I have also found a place called the Pokémon Village. Here, the Pokémon live in hiding, but kind-hearted humans care for them and they show a mutual trust. I guess… it is as you said. There’s good and evil in this world, kindness and cruelty.”

“I’m glad you’re finding this for yourself,” she responded. “I wish you luck in your travels, but always know you’re welcome here. Litra’s a highly-populated area, but we can shelter you.”

“I will consider it. Thank you, Miss Peko… for everything.”

*

Ryoma gave the bag of treats a single shake and listened to the cacophony of a total of sixteen paws scramble from all over the house in their haste to reach the kitchen. Skitty, Meowth, Purrloin, and Glameow all came galloping in, mewing and begging for the treats in his hand. They wound around his body, perfectly willing to be the epitome of affection when they wanted something, then go back to being reserved. He could pick them up and cuddle them, but only on their terms.

He rapidly scattered four treats in opposite directions so each of them would get one and wouldn’t knock each other over. While they were distracted, he discreetly stowed the treats in the cupboard once more; otherwise, the cats would continually beg for another, and he was adamant about not over-feeding them. They weren’t battlers, so he had to take care in maintaining their body weights. Since they were so lazy, and were only willing to exercise for short periods, he did so by rationing their food. 

It felt nice to have a moment between tournaments and training just to relax at home. He had taken time off his regime to help his friends in Alola, but that hadn’t been a vacation until the very end of the journey. He wasn’t one for adventures, that was more Kaito and Rantaro’s forte. His girlfriend had been delighted when he had called after the closing ceremonies of his last tournament in Unova, revealing he was going to have about a month-long break. She was out at the store right now, buying groceries for a special dinner. He had just returned late last night and practically went straight to bed.

It was a lazy day, but those were comforting every now and again. With the cats satisfied, he returned to the bedroom to unpack his suitcases, since he had just stowed them against the wall to keep them out of the way but couldn’t muster the energy to unpack last night.

*

“Hoenn’s almost as warm as Alola,” Tsumugi commented. “I should have packed more summer clothes, but it’s just been so cold in Litra lately…”

“You can modify your clothes, can’t you?” said Utsugi.

“Yes, but I don’t have enough sewing supplies to make it look good.”

“Nothing you make ever looks bad,” Tenko complimented.

“Thank you.”

The three girls stopped their conversation as Himiko approached them, clutching a bag containing her contest supplies. Once they had arrived in Lilycove City, they quickly dropped their belongings off at the hotel and decided to go exploring, but the heat and humidity drove them to seek shelter in the Contest Hall. While they were there, Himiko decided it was best to sign herself in with the reception and collect her passes for the contest. She reached into the bag and pulled out three passes, one a participant badge, one for costuming, and one a guest pass, and handed them out to Utsugi, Tsumugi, and Tenko respectively. The three girls placed their passes into the plastic sleeves on their lanyards while Himiko checked to make sure hers was in the bag.

“What should we do now?” Tenko asked.

“I recommend going somewhere with air conditioning,” Himiko drawled. “The heat is making me tired.”

“There’s the department store,” Tsumugi suggested. “Or we could go to the beach and see the lighthouse.”

“Didn’t you get enough of the beach in Alola?” Himiko groaned. “So hot and the sand’s rough.”

“Alola was a year ago,” Tsumugi pointed out. “I think my tolerance for the beach reset at some point.”

“There’s an art museum,” Utsugi read from the pamphlet she had collected from the hotel.

“Angie would enjoy that, but she’s not here,” said Himiko. “But maybe we could take pictures for her.”

“Art museum it is!” Tenko announced. “Then we can go to the department store, and then the beach once the heat dies off.”

“We just need to make sure we don’t stay out too late,” said Tsumugi. “We need to get up early for Himiko and Utsugi’s final costume fitting, so I have plenty of time to make adjustments and corrections.”

*

Kaede settled on her cushioned bench, organizing her sheet music and double-checking the color of the paper clip to make sure this was the correct collection. That action caused her to flashback to the day she met Spooky, the chain of events being set in place because she had grabbed the wrong music. Spooky herself was sitting near the easel of her piano, prepared to use her shadowy claw to turn the music pages in Alba’s place.

Alba had become very broody lately, which hinted her clutch of Eevee eggs were due to hatch soon. The Sylveon was crouched in the entrance of a covered plush bed Kaede had bought for her to house the eggs. Alba was always guarding the entrance, but whenever Kaede was able to lure her away, she would quickly reach in and check the eggs, making sure the interior was warm enough. She had Gundam and Sonia visit to examine the eggs a couple times, since it would be impossible to take the clutch out of the house without Alba becoming agitated. Kaede was lucky her Sylveon let her touch the eggs at all, especially since Alba wouldn’t even let Cy, Spooky, and Cloud anywhere near. Sonia reassured Kaede it was first-time jitters; once the eggs hatched and Alba saw her offspring were safe, she would calm down.

No doubt, Kaede was excited for the eggs to hatch, but she had one reservation. The eggs were the offspring of Alba and Scout, and Shuichi and his Pokémon were currently in Sinnoh. If they were due to hatch soon, Scout might not be present to greet his children at their birth. She kept Shuichi updated all the time and planned to initiate a video call when the eggs hatched, but it wouldn’t be the same.

With a sad sigh, Kaede began playing scales across the black and white keys. She was overjoyed when Shuichi decided to take the opportunity of a lifetime and become a junior officer of the International Police, but that also meant he had to travel to Sinnoh for training, leaving a small void in her life. Sure, they talked at least four times a week, but he was so far away.

It had been strange to return to life after the Alola adventure. She almost couldn’t believe she had embarked on the journey at all, and life almost felt a little dull without the thrill. However, she occupied her time with her playing. The Hinatas, Hajime and Izuru’s parents, had been enchanted from her playing at the wedding and offered to be her managers, wishing to send her all over the world to play for countless people. Mrs. Hinata had even negotiated with popstar Sayaka Maizono for a collaboration in her upcoming tour through Sinnoh. Kaede knew Spooky would be overjoyed to meet the singer.

The gentle lilting of the piano was interrupted by her cell phone ringing. Kaede was shaken from her musing and rushed to answer the call. She already had an idea of who it might be.

“Shuichi?”

“I have a surprise for you,” the voice on the other end spoke through the speaker.

*

“I’m on a boat heading for Litra. I can see the coast right now.”

“Really!?”

Shuichi was forced to hold his phone away from his ear while Kaede shrieked with happiness. Scout, Lumine, and Mosaic, who had all been gazing out over the water as the boat rapidly approached the Litra marina, looked up to see their trainer wincing with his phone at arms-length. 

“I completed my six-month training block and Detective Kirigiri insisted I take time off,” Shuichi explained once he felt it was safe to bring the phone close again. “I should be there in, maybe, an hour. I could’ve flown the entire journey, but my flight from Saffron City to Goldenrod City was very turbulent over Mount Silver, so I decided to take a boat up the coast. Would you like to join me and my aunt and uncle for dinner?”

“Of course! What am I going to wear?”

“Don’t fret too much about it. We’re almost to the shore; I’ll talk you in-person soon, okay?”

“I look forward to seeing you, _Officer Saihara_.”

Shuichi sputtered slightly and hung up before he could make a fool of himself. No doubt Kaede was giggling since she must have heard his stuttering before he ended the call. Despite becoming a junior officer of the International Police, being the trainer of the Beast Killer, and embarking on the Alola journey, some things never changed. Maybe he should feel a little apprehensive about traveling on the water after nearly drowning in the tropical storm, but that same memory reminded him that he had a larger chance of surviving if the boat capsized than if his plane fell out of the sky. Perhaps it was best he not linger solely on what could go wrong.

The boat docked at the marina, the travelers on board disembarking in droves. Shuichi remained on the deck for a few minutes longer, so he wouldn’t be caught up in the throng of the crowd. For those few minutes, he kept looking out over the water as the sun gradually sank below the horizon, a not-quite full moon beginning to shine down as the light of sun died out. 

Scout tugged at the leg of Shuichi’s pants, eager to get off the boat and return to Litra. Shuichi stooped to pick up his duffel bag, slinging the strap across his shoulders. Lumine and Mosaic flanked him on both sides, while Scout rode on his shoulders as they exited the boat down the ramp. Most of his fellow travelers were far ahead and the marina was practically empty, offering a peaceful walk over the water. Shuichi hummed to himself, looking at what boats he could see from the path he was walking and spied Rantaro’s, meaning the young man was currently in Litra and not off on one of his adventures.

Shuichi nearly stumbled when he walked into Mosaic. The impact didn’t even faze the Silvally, who had stopped right in the middle of the floating dock to stare at something over the water. Shuichi steadied himself, turning to see what had interested Mosaic so much he would freeze on the spot. Shuichi sputtered and gasped, nearly having a heart attack at the sight of the glowing draconian creature levitating right beside the dock. Lumine curled his lip slightly while Scout’s sleek fur bristled, which Shuichi could feel against the back of his neck.

Necrozma watched every movement the four figures before it made. There was a hesitance in its body language, broadcasting it was prepared to flee at the slightest indication of hostility, but showed no aggression in return. It just watched them with a new sense of intelligence it lacked as both the Pillager of Light and during its period of being controlled by Junko. It held no resentment toward them, understanding why they committed the actions they did: to protect their world from its madness. It understood that now.

In time, it would realize descendants should not pay for the crimes of their ancestors and would return to Ultra Megalopolis to bless the world in light before departing, never to return to the world of its trauma again. There were many atrocities it committed while shattered, and it would set them right in its own time, but right now, it wanted to lay eyes upon the person who may have dealt it terrible suffering, but in the end saved its very existence.

Shuichi and Necrozma’s eyes connected, their held gaze one of comfort and understanding. Mosaic watched intently as well, no longer driven by his intense desire to destroy Necrozma, but not trusting its presence around his trainer. Necrozma bowed its head toward Shuichi, then, with a downstroke of its four wings, it lifted away from him. Shuichi watched as the glowing entity soared across the golden-orange waters, vanishing from his sight within the slight shimmer in the sky of what was no doubt an Ultra Wormhole. He continued watching long after it had gone, an odd feeling of happiness and sorrow settling in his chest, knowing he had healed that creature of its endless torment, but also knowing he would likely never see it again. With that, he readjusted the shoulder strap of his duffel bag, scratched Mosaic behind the ears, and continued walking toward the ramp to leave the marina.

And so, the beast that bestows the light left this world under the light of the setting sun and the moon just beginning to rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The third Type Null is named “Ersatzteile,” which is German for “spare parts.” I thought it was both a cool and appropriate name. Izuru is the only one who calls it “Ersatzteile,” since he named it, but everyone calls it “Satz” for short.
> 
> I decided to place the International Police Headquarters in Sinnoh since the fourth generation was when the International Police made their first official appearance (there was a guy in the Goldenrod Underground in the second gen who claimed he was an officer of the Global Police, but nothing more was implied about him). I thought the Battle Zone was a great place to put the headquarters since it was isolated and the post-game territory you can explore for stronger battles. I’ve placed Sinnoh to be northeast of Kanto, so my hypothetical map has Kanto and Johto at the southern end of the continent, my original region of Lotic north of Johto, Kalos just north of Lotic, and Sinnoh northeast of Kanto, but separated from the main continent as a large island.
> 
> And that is the end of The Beast Killer. Kudos to those of you who have stuck through to the end. As I mentioned a couple chapters back, I have plans to write two prequels and a possible sequel if I feel Sword and Shield's story is compatible. I'm currently working out the base storyline for the first prequel, so it may be a while before I'm ready to begin posting chapters. However, I am working on it, so, be on the lookout for "The Empty Void" in the future. It will be marked as a prequel to The Beast Killer.


End file.
